Approximately half of home health episodes under traditional Medicare were admitted not after a hospitalization but as community entries, according to a study published in Health Affairs on Jan. 6, 2026. 
 
The study, which reviewed Medicare administrative data from 2017, 2019 and 2021, found that these patients are often older than those admitted to home health from an acute care setting. They also have higher rates of Alzheimer’s disease, depression and other cognitive impairments. These patients were also more likely to have dual eligibility.  
 
“Our findings reveal a fundamental tension between policies that favor post-acute care and the reality of Medicare home health use, which serves a substantial population with clinical and demographic profiles that differ from those of post-acute care users,” the study authors note. 
 
Visit patterns were the same for both post-acute and community-entry home health patients, they add.