Patient Outcomes After Hospital Discharge to Home With Home Health Care vs to a Skilled Nursing Facility

This article examines how patient outcomes and Medicare spending are affected by the decision to discharge patients to home with home health care vs to a skilled nursing facility for postacute care. The authors find that among Medicare beneficiaries eligible for postacute care at home or in a skilled nursing facility, discharge to home with home health care was associated with higher rates of readmission, no detectable differences in mortality or functional outcomes, and lower Medicare payments.