HMO length of stays ot shortchanged
HMO length of stays ot shortchanged
Hospital length of stay patterns for patients enrolled in HMOs are similar to those for patients who belong to standard fee-for-service plans, a study finds, which was recently released by a Washington, DC-based HMO industry group, the American Association of Health Plans (AAHP).
Using baselines for appropriate length of stays for treatments selected for a recent survey by the American College of Surgeons as well as guidelines published by Milliman & Robertson, an actuarial company whose optimal guideline standards are often used as a reference point by health plans, a study prepared for AAHP compared length of stay patterns for HMO and fee-for-service patients.
The analysis found that 91.9% of all HMO admissions and 92.3 % of fee for service admissions had lengths of stays which were equal to or greater than the Milliman & Robertson guidelines. Approximately 61.7% of HMO length of stays were longer than the guidelines, while 8.1% were shorter.
The AAHP analysis also found that 94.9% of all HMO patients admitted to the hospital and 94.7% of fee-for-service hospital admissions fell within or exceeded the range recommended by surgeons surveyed by the American College of Surgeons.
To receive a copy of the study, contact AAHP at (202) 778-3200.
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