Medicare's use of risk adjustment

Medicare's use of risk adjustment

Collection:
Health Policy and Services Research
Series Title(s):
NHPF background paper
Contributor(s):
Kominski, Gerald F.
George Washington University. National Health Policy Forum.
Publication:
Washington, D.C. : George Washington University, [2007]
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Subject(s):
Insurance, Health, Reimbursement
Medicare -- economics
Prospective Payment System
Risk Adjustment
United States
Genre(s):
Technical Report
Abstract:
Medicare accounts for expected differences in resource needs of patients or health plan enrollees by risk-adjusting the payments it makes to health care facilities, such as hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies, and the premiums it pays to health plans. Risk adjustment is intended to ensure that payments or premiums are adequate for patients or plan enrollees who require more resources than average in order to protect beneficiary access as well as the financial condition of the provider or plan. At the same time, risk adjustment lowers payments or premiums for beneficiaries who are expected to use fewer resources to reduce incentives for providers or plans to favor these beneficiaries. This paper describes the origins and importance of risk adjustment, summarizes current risk adjustment by Medicare, and discusses issues and problems with risk adjustment methods.
Copyright:
The National Library of Medicine believes this item to be in the public domain. (More information)
Extent:
17 leaves
Illustrations:
Illustrations
NLM Unique ID:
101318064 (See catalog record)
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101318064