Washington, D.C. -- In case you missed it, new research has identified a correlation between Institutional Special Needs Plans (I-SNPs) enrollment and improved health outcomes for long term care beneficiaries. A
whitepaper published last week by the healthcare research firm ATI Advisory found that Medicare Advantage beneficiaries enrolled in an I-SNP experienced better outcomes across several studied measures, including lower rates of emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, hospital readmissions, pressure ulcers, infections, and falls with major injury.
Compared to similar Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees, I-SNP enrollees were:
- 53 percent less likely to experience an inpatient hospital stay each month;
- 50 percent less likely to experience an ED visit each month;
- 27 percent less likely to experience a 30-day hospital readmission;
- 29 percent less likely to experience pressure ulcers;
- 25 percent less likely to experience a fall with major injury; and
- 16 percent less likely to experience infections.
"As policymakers look for ways to improve quality and outcomes in long term care, this research adds to the growing body of evidence supporting models like I-SNPs,"
said Nisha Hammel, senior vice president of Reimbursement Policy and Population Health at AHCA/NCAL. "Coordinated care approaches that align financing, care delivery, providers, and clinicians together can lead to better health outcomes and a better care experience for seniors with complex medical needs."
I-SNPs are a type of MA plan designed for long-term residents of nursing homes or those who live in the community but need nursing home level care. I-SNPs offer on-site nurse practitioners in nursing homes to help improve primary care, care planning, and care coordination. Researchers estimate that while the percentage of long-stay nursing home residents enrolled in an I-SNP has quadrupled over nearly 20 years, it is still a small percentage of total nursing home residents. As of 2026, there were more than 128,000 Medicare beneficiaries in I-SNPs.
These findings build on
a prior ATI analysis showing a similar association between I-SNP enrollment and favorable long term care outcomes, contributing to a growing evidence base around coordinated care models for older adults with complex needs in long term care settings.
The full whitepaper is available on the
ATI Advisory website.