Medicare patients in poorest US counties more likely to incur higher out-of-pocket hospitalization expenses

(Elsevier) When Medicare beneficiaries are admitted to the hospital, their care is normally covered by Part A benefits with a fixed deductible. However, when the hospital stay is "for observation," Part B benefits take over, bringing with them cost-sharing and potentially large out-of-pocket expenses. In a study published in The American Journal of Medicine, researchers found that patients in low-income U.S. counties utilized observation care more commonly than those of wealthier counties, poten...