Workers Compensation Research Institute found the percentage of hospital inpatient and outpatient claims generally decreased from 2002 to 2016, Business Insurance reports.
WCRI studied claims in 18 states: California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin. Surgeries were the focus of the research.
Here's what you should know:
1. Nearly all states included in the study saw a decrease in the percentage of hospital claims.
2. However, outpatient services at hospitals increased. From 2000 to 2016, there was a 39.6 percent increase in outpatient activity at hospitals, compared to a 1.7 percent increase in inpatient admissions.
3. Researchers noticed a trend toward receiving care at ASCs and non-hospital settings, where care is typically 40 percent less expensive than at hospitals.
4. In 14 states, knee surgeries performed at ASCs were 21 percent to 76 percent less expensive than ones performed at hospitals.
5. In addition to costs, the shift to ASCs and other non-hospital facilities might be influenced by technical advances, states' medical fee schedule changes and other reforms.