• Maricruz Rivera-Hernandez, Momotazur Rahman, Vincent Mor, and Amal N Trivedi.
• Department of Health Services, Policy & Practice, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island.
• J Am Geriatr Soc. 2019 Aug 1; 67 (8): 1672-1679.

ObjectivesPrior studies have reported mixed findings about the existence of racial disparities in readmission rates among Medicare Advantage beneficiaries, but these studies used data from one state, focused on black-white disparities, and did not focus on patients discharged to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The objective of the study was to characterize racial and ethnic disparities in rates of 30-day rehospitalization directly from SNFs among fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage patients.DesignA cross-sectional study of admissions to SNFs in 2015 was conducted.SettingSNFs across the United States.ParticipantsThe sample included 1 500 334 white, 213 848 African American, and 99 781 Hispanic Medicare patients who were admitted to 13 375 SNFs.MeasurementsThe main outcome of interest was readmission, identified as patients sent back to any hospital directly from the SNF within 30 days of admission, as indicated on the Minimum Data Set discharge assessment.ResultsOverall readmission rates for fee-for-service patients were 16.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 16.7%-16.8%) for whites, 18.8% (95% CI = 18.7%-19.0%) for African Americans, and 17.4% (95% CI = 17.1%-17.7%) for Hispanics. Readmission rates in Medicare Advantage were 14.7% (95% CI = 14.5%-14.8%) for whites, 16.8% (95% CI = 16.6%-17.1%) for African Americans, and 15.3% (95% CI = 14.9%-15.6%) for Hispanics. We also found that African Americans had about 1% higher readmission rates than whites, even when they received care within the same SNF. No statistically significant differences were found in the magnitude of within-SNF racial disparities in Medicare Advantage compared with Medicare fee-for-service.ConclusionWe found racial disparities in readmission rates even within the same facility for both Medicare Advantage and fee-for-service beneficiaries. Intervention to reduce disparities in readmission rates, as well as more comprehensive quality measures that incorporate outcomes for Medicare Advantage enrollees, are needed. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:1672-1679, 2019.© 2019 The American Geriatrics Society.

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