Study examines impact of Medicare payment policy on stroke rehab in skilled nursing facilities

Patients recovering from stroke benefit from the multi-disciplinary therapy offered at skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). SNF rehabilitation programs are vulnerable to scrutiny by payers such as Medicare. A new study examines the results of current payment programs on stoke patients’ access to and outcomes from rehabilitation in SNFs—a subject that hasn’t received much research. The study found mostly neutral outcomes from reductions in utilization of SNF rehabilitation including for patients with stroke. Future research should investigate the impact of payment policies on important stroke recovery outcomes such as functional improvement.

This study is the first first-author publication for PhD student Cait Brown, MA, CCC-SLP. Also contributing from our department are Tracy Mroz, PhD, OTR/L; Rachel Prusynski, PhD, DPT, NCS; as well as Benjamin Canter, of Boston University. The study appears in Current Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Reports, in an edition focusing on stroke rehabilitation, edited by Jamie Ott, DO.