Insurance status and length of stay for involuntarily hospitalized patients

William H. Fisher, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Paul J. Barreira, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Alisa K. Lincoln, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Lorna J. Simon, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Andrew W. White, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Kristen M. Roy-Bujnowski, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Marylou Sudders, Massachusetts Department of Mental Health

Abstract

General and private psychiatric hospitals are becoming increasingly common as sites for involuntary hospitalization. Unlike the public facilities that these settings are supplanting, these hospitals must pay strict attention to issues associated with reimbursement, insurance status, and managed care. This article examines the effects of insurance status on length of stay for involuntarily hospitalized patients in general and private hospitals in Massachusetts. Using a two-stage sampling procedure, data on episodes of involuntary hospitalization were gathered and assessed using multiple regression. The primary effect was found between patients with Medicare, who had the longest stays, and individuals who were uninsured, who had the shortest. The data raise concerns that warrant closer scrutiny on the part of administrators and clinicians.