Figure 1 shows the share of resource use and outcomes attributable to super-utilizers among all patients by primary payer in 2012. In 2012, 15.1% of stays for Medicare patients aged 65 years or older were for super-utilizers, 26.6% of stays for Medicare patients aged 1–64 years were for superutilizers, 11.3% of stays for privately insured patients aged 1–64 years were for superutilizers, and 14.3% of stays for Medicaid patients aged 1–64 years were for super-utilizers. In 2012, 17.3% of hospital days for Medicare patients aged 65 years or older were for super-utilizers, 28.7% of hospital days for Medicare patients aged 1–64 years were for super-utilizers, 17.1% of hospital days for privately insured patients aged 1–64 years were for super-utilizers, and 18.3% of hospital days for Medicaid enrollees aged 1–64 years were for super-utilizers. In 2012, 15.0% of hospital costs for Medicare patients aged 65 years or older was for super-utilizers, 25.9% of hospital costs for Medicare patients aged 1–64 years was for super-utilizers, 15.4% of hospital costs for privately insured patients aged 1–64 years was for super-utilizers, and 17.9% of hospital costs for Medicaid enrollees aged 1–64 years was for super-utilizers. In 2012, 42.5% of 30-day all-cause readmissions for Medicare patients aged 65 years or older was for super-utilizers, 59.8% of all-cause readmissions for Medicare patients aged 1–64 years was for super-utilizers, 52.6% of all-cause readmissions for privately insured patients aged 1–64 years was for super-utilizers, and 50.0% of all-cause readmissions for Medicaid enrollees aged 1–64 years was for super-utilizers. These percentages are all substantially higher than the percentage of all patients who are super-utilizers: 4.7% of Medicare patients aged 65 years or older, 8.6% of Medicare patients aged 1–64 years, 3.4% of privately insured patients aged 1–64 years, and 3.4% for Medicaid enrollees aged 1–64 years were super-utilizers in 2012.

Figure 1Share of resource use and outcomes for super-utilizersa among all patients by payer, 2012

Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Center for Delivery, Organization, and Markets, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), weighted national estimates from a readmissions analysis file derived from the State Inpatient Databases (SID), 2012

a

Super-utilizers are Medicare and Medicaid patients with four or more hospital stays and privately insured patients with three or more hospital stays in 2012.

From: Statistical Brief #190, Characteristics of Hospital Stays for Super-Utilizers by Payer, 2012

Cover of Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Statistical Briefs
Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Statistical Briefs [Internet].
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