Providence, R.I.-based Brown University researchers found that, between 2006 and 2010, the average time in the hospital per year increased by half a day among more than 140,000 people across 14 Medicare Advantage plans that never waived the rule. However, patients across 14 plans that did waive the rule spent 0.2 fewer days in hospital.
That 10 percent relative reduction likely saved money and also had patients moving to the next phase of recovery more quickly, decreasing risk of hospital-acquired complications, according to the study.
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