Changes in Use of Postacute Care Associated With Accountable Care Organizations in Hip Fracture, Stroke, and Pneumonia Hospitalized Cohorts.

OBJECTIVE: To examine changes in more and less discretionary condition-specific postacute care use (skilled nursing, inpatient rehabilitation, home health) associated with Medicare accountable care organization (ACO) implementation. DATA SOURCES: 2009-2014 Medicare fee-for-service claims. STUDY DESIGN: Difference-in-difference methodology comparing postacute outcomes after hospitalization for hip fracture and stroke (where rehabilitation is fundamental to the episode of care) to pneumonia, (where it is more discretionary) for beneficiaries attributed to ACO and non-ACO providers. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Across all 3 cohorts, in the baseline period ACO patients were more likely to receive Medicare-paid postacute care and had higher episode spending. In hip fracture patients where rehabilitation is standard of care, ACO implementation was associated with 6%-8% increases in probability of admission to a skilled nursing facility or inpatient rehabilitation (compared with home without care), and a slight reduction in readmissions. In a clinical condition where rehabilitation is more discretionary, pneumonia, ACO implementation was not associated with changes in postacute location, but episodic spending decreased 2%-3%. Spending decreases were concentrated in the least complex patients. Across all cohorts, the length of stay in skilled nursing facilities decreased with ACO implementation. CONCLUSIONS: ACOs decreased spending on postacute care by decreasing use of discretionary services. ACO implementation was associated with reduced length of stay in skilled nursing facilities, while hip fracture patients used institutional postacute settings at higher rates. Among pneumonia patients, we observed decreases in spending, readmission days, and mortality associated with ACO implementation.

ACOs Holding Commercial Contracts Are Larger And More Efficient Than Noncommercial ACOs.

Accountable care organizations (ACOs) have diverse contracting arrangements and have displayed wide variation in their performance. Using data from national surveys of 399 ACOs, we examined differences between the 228 commercial ACOs (those with commercial payer contracts) and the 171 noncommercial ACOs (those with only public contracts, such as with Medicare or Medicaid). Commercial ACOs were significantly larger and more integrated with hospitals, and had lower benchmark expenditures and higher quality scores, compared to noncommercial ACOs. Among all of the ACOs, there was low uptake of quality and efficiency activities. However, commercial ACOs reported more use of disease monitoring tools, patient satisfaction data, and quality improvement methods than did noncommercial ACOs. Few ACOs reported having high-level performance monitoring capabilities. About two-thirds of the ACOs had established processes for distributing any savings accrued, and these ACOs allocated approximately the same amount of savings to the ACOs themselves, participating member organizations, and physicians. Our findings demonstrate that ACO delivery systems remain at a nascent stage. Structural differences between commercial and noncommercial ACOs are important factors to consider as public policy efforts continue to evolve.

Homophobia and communal coping for HIV risk management among gay men in relationships.

Men who have sex with men (MSM) remain disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic in the US and estimates suggest that one to two-thirds of new infections occur among main partners. Previous research has focused on individual MSM and their risk for HIV, yet couples' ability to manage risk has been largely understudied. In particular, the role that homophobia plays in shaping the ability of gay male couples to cope with HIV risk is currently understudied. A sample of 447 gay/bisexual men with main partners was taken from a 2011 survey of gay and bisexual men in Atlanta. Linear regression models were fitted for three couples' coping outcome scales (outcome efficacy, couple efficacy, communal coping) and included indicators of homophobia (internalized homophobia and homophobic discrimination). Findings indicate that reporting of increased levels of internalized homophobia were consistently associated with decreased outcome measures of couples' coping ability regarding risk management. The results highlight the role that homophobia plays in gay male couples' relationships and HIV risk, extending the existing literature in the field of same-sex relationships as influenced by homophobia.