Abstract
In an August 2, 2021 report, we examined changes in post-acute care (PAC) use patterns in traditional Medicare during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic (March to July 2020). We documented the role of PAC providers (particularly, skilled nursing facilities and long term care hospitals) in caring for COVID-19 patients. At the same time, we observed sharp drops in the share of discharges to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), which were offset by relative increases in discharges to home health agencies (HHAs) and inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for non-COVID-19 patients. Since July 2020, COVID-19 has continued to take a significant toll. The U.S experienced a surge in infections, hospitalizations, and COVID-19 related
