The Influence of Hospital Type, Insurance Type, and Patient Income on 30-Day Complication and Readmission Rates Following Lumbar Spine Fusion.

Patients undergoing lumbar spine fusion at metropolitan non-teaching hospitals and paying with private insurance had significantly lower 30-day readmission rates than their counterparts. Complications within 30 days following lumbar spine fusion were significantly higher in patients treated at metropolitan teaching hospitals and in Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. Aside from a few exceptions, however, patient income was generally not associated with differential complication rates.