In-hospital Outcomes for COVID-19 Patients in the Military Health System: Comparison of Military and Civilian Facility Treatment.

This article examines differences in hospital outcomes for COVID-19 patients within the U.S. Military Health System (MHS), comparing care received in private sector (fee-for-service) versus direct care (budget-based military facilities with salaried providers) settings under the TRICARE insurance program. Analyzing claims data from 3,177 hospitalized patients between March and September 2020, the study found no significant differences in adjusted rates of in-hospital mortality, ventilator use, complications, or 30-day readmissions between the two settings. However, patients treated in direct care had higher adjusted odds of intensive care unit (ICU) admission compared to those in private sector care, a disparity possibly related to differing ICU admission criteria rather than clinical severity. These findings suggest comparable COVID-19 outcomes across MHS care settings, with implications for resource utilization and cost management within military and civilian healthcare systems.