New websites help Medicare and Medicaid consumers compare rehab/acute care hospitals

We want the best possible rehab or acute care hospital for ourselves or our loved ones. Unfortunately, sometimes the choice must be made quickly.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has introduced two websites to make health care quality information more transparent and understandable, even if you only have a few minutes for research.

The Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities Compare website offers data from free-standing rehabilitation hospitals and rehabilitation units in acute care hospitals in your area.

The Long-Term Care Hospitals Compare tool helps consumers better understand care at certified acute care hospitals that focus on hospital-level care, usually lasting 25 days or more.

Available information includes the percentage of patients with pressure ulcersand information about readmissions.

Under the Affordable Care Act, inpatient rehabilitation facilities and long-term care hospitals are required to report to CMS on a number of quality measures and health outcomes.

These new websites put that data into an easy-to-use format for consumers.

Voices for Affordable Health offers more websites and resources that help consumers to secure high-quality, affordable care at https://voicesforaffordablehealth.com/resources/.