Patients who are enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) spend an average of 3.6 fewer days in home health than traditional Medicare patients, according to a study published in the JAMA Open Network on Oct. 29, 2025.
  
The study looked at two million MA beneficiaries hospitalized between 2015 and 2021. When compared to their traditional Medicare counterparts, the MA patients also spent 6.3 fewer days in skilled nursing facilities. 
 
Those who had MA also saw similar outcomes to traditional Medicare beneficiaries. The readmission rate for those with MA was 1.5% below that of traditional Medicare enrollees, and their mortality rate was only 0.3% lower.   
 
The study authors also compared functional gains achieved between MA and traditional Medicare patients. They noted that MA beneficiaries who utilized home health were 2.5% more likely to see 30-day ADL improvement than traditional Medicare patients.