Table 1.
Measures of Inpatient Hospital Use among Medicare Beneficiaries Aged 65 and Older, by Survival Status, 1978–2006
| Year |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utilization Measure and Survival Status | 1978 | 1983 | 1988 | 1993 | 1997 | 2002 | 2006 |
| Percent hospitalized | |||||||
| March decedents | 64.5 | 67.4 | 63.7 | 63.0 | 62.6 | 62.8 | 62.5 |
| Survivors | 18.5 | 20.1 | 16.1 | 16.0 | 16.5 | 17.0 | 16.7 |
| Percent undergoing multiple hospitalizations | |||||||
| March decedents | 20.3 | 23.0 | 22.2 | 22.0 | 24.5 | 25.6 | 27.0 |
| Survivors | 5.2 | 6.1 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 5.6 | 5.9 | 5.6 |
| Percent using ICU/CCU services | |||||||
| March decedents | N/A | 26.1 | 27.7 | 26.4 | 28.7 | 30.7 | 33.1 |
| Survivors | N/A | 4.0 | 4.6 | 5.1 | 5.6 | 6.1 | 6.3 |
Notes: p<.05 for positive linear trend in multiple hospitalizations for decedents and ICU use for both decedents and survivors.
Trends in multiple hospitalizations for survivors and percent hospitalized for decedents and survivors were not statistically significant.
Table excludes beneficiaries enrolled in managed care at any point during the year.
ICU/CCU data are not available in the Continuous Medicare History Sample file before 1983.
CCU, coronary care unit; ICU, intensive care unit; NA, not applicable
Source: Medicare Continuous History Sample file.