Home health resource utilization. Health maintenance organization versus fee-for-service subscribers

A commonly held belief is that patients enrolled in health maintenance organizations (HMOs) are authorized fewer home health services than patients enrolled in fee-for-service (FFS) plans. This study compared home health resource utilization patterns between patients enrolled in a cost HMO and in FFS plans. Although no significant differences were found, the cost HMO subscribers actually received more services. Despite these similarities, home health administrators need to carefully craft contracts with cost HMOs.