IMPORTANCE: Medicare beneficiaries with high medical needs can benefit from Advance Care Planning (ACP). Medicare reimburses clinical providers for ACP discussions, but it is unknown whether high-need beneficiaries are receiving this service.

OBJECTIVE: To compare rates of billed ACP discussions among a cohort of high-need Medicare beneficiaries with the non-high-needs Medicare population.

DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) claims in 2017 comparing high-need beneficiaries (seriously ill, frail, ESRD, and disabled) with non-high need beneficiaries.

SETTING: Nationally representative FFS Medicare 20% sample.

PARTICIPANTS: Medicare beneficiaries were assigned to one of the following classifications: seriously ill (65+), frail (65+), seriously ill and frail (65+); non-high need (65+); end stage renal disease (ESRD) or disabled ( < 65). All participants had data available for years 2016-2017.

EXPOSURE: Receipt of a billed ACP discussion, CPT codes 99497 or 99498.

MAIN OUTCOME AND MEASURE: Rates of billed ACP visits were compared between high-need patients and non-high-need patients. Rates were adjusted for the 65+ population for sex, age, race/ethnicity, Charlson comorbidity index, Medicare/Medicaid dual eligibility status, and Hospital Referral Region.

RESULTS: Among the 65+ groups, those most likely to have a billed ACP discussion included seriously ill and frail (5.2%), seriously ill (4.2%), and frail (3.3%). Rates remained consistent after adjusting (4.5%, 4.0%, 3.1%, respectively). Each subgroup differed significantly (p < .05) from non-high need beneficiaries (2.3%) in both unadjusted and adjusted analyses. Among the < 65 high need groups, the rates were 2.7% for ESRD and 1.3% for the disabled (the latter p < .05 compared with non-high needs).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: While rates of billed ACP discussions varied among patient groups with high medical needs, overall they were relatively low, even among a cohort of patients for whom ACP may be especially relevant.