Medicare Advantage plans frequently deny post-acute care for nursing homes, survey finds

Dive Brief:

Medicare Advantage plans deny post-acute care on a daily or weekly basis for members in a majority of nursing homes — often against the advice of medical professionals, according to a new survey from the American Health Care Association.

The AHCA, which represents nursing homes, assisted living communities and other providers for elderly and disabled individuals, surveyed more than 360 nursing home providers in May and found that 37% said post-acute care is delayed or denied at least once a week. Another 29% said such decisions come as frequently as every day.

The findings build on other research suggesting MA plans aggressively restrict care, which critics argue is done to increase their profits. UnitedHealth, the parent company of the largest MA insurer in the U.S., is c