Used data from 1982 and 1984 National Long-Term Care Surveys to track cohort of disabled elderly persons residing in community in 1982 over the two years that followed. In contrast to persons who did not use nursing homes, persons who entered nursing homes had a four- to five-fold risk of spending down to Medicaid eligibility. (Author/NB)

Examined incidence and causes of Medicaid spenddown among disabled elderly persons. Found that approximately 10 percent of nursing home discharges experienced asset spenddown, process of converting from private pay to Medicaid, whereas over 50 percent of nursing home patients remained private pay throughout their stays. Becoming Medicaid patient…

Projects utilization history of a synthetic cohort of nursing home admissions in 1976 by normalizing length of stay (LOS) specific discharge rates derived from life tables to an estimated 1.1 million persons. Results focus on the LOS distribution, discharge status, and total days of nursing home care used. (Author/JAC)

Examined lifetime nursing home use with data from Connecticut for 1977-86. Gives life table estimate of total amount of time after age 65 expected to be spent by persons in nursing homes and total amount of nursing home use paid for by Medicaid. Estimates lifetime risk of Medicaid spenddown in nursing homes at 21.5 percent. (Author/PVV)

Analyzed relationship between cognitive impairment and use and cost of health care, examining data from 1981-1982 Long-Term Care National Channeling Demonstration Project. Results indicated a substantial cost difference between money spent on home, institutional or nursing home care for cognitively intact and cognitively impaired persons.…

Derived a representative national nursing home admissions cohort with 1977 survey data. Found that high proportions of admissions have short lengths of stay and are discharged within the same calendar year. (Author/RC)