OBJECTIVES: To examine the mortality and rehospitalization rates among hospitalized congestive heart failure (CHF) patients in the US Medicare population. METHODS: Using Medicare data, we calculated the 30-day and 1-year mortality rates, and rehospitalization rates among patients with a primary diagnosis of unspecified CHF (International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis code 428.0). The study was restricted to patients with continuous enrollment in a Fee-for-service Medicare health plan during the calendar year and ≥2 years prior. The age- and sex-adjusted readmission rates were calculated using direct standardization for the US population aged ≥65 years in 2010 using sex-specific age groups. RESULTS:  The 30-day and 1-year mortality rates increased by 37.5% (8 to 11 per 1000 persons) and 23.1% (26 to 32 per 1000 persons), respectively, from 2008 to 2013. The overall adjusted readmission rate was 10.72% (2008), 11.08% (2009), 11.32% (2010), and 12.58% (2011); it then decreased to 12.20% (2012) and 11.80% (2013). Men had higher readmission rates compared to women across all study years except 2010. Patients aged 80-84 had the highest readmission rates during 2010 (12.01%), 2011 (13.47%), and 2012 (14.26%), whereas readmission rates were highest among patients aged 75-79 during 2008 (11.18%), and those aged 65-69 in 2009 (11.59%) and 2013 (12.58%). Readmission rates were highest among Hispanic patients in 2008 (14.3%), Asian in 2009 (13.9%), 2011 (13.6%), and 2012 (15.9%), other race in 2010 (15.0%), and North American Native patients in 2013 (18.3%). Readmission rates varied across states. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to 2008, Medicare beneficiaries with CHF had higher mortality rates from 2009 to 2013. Overall readmission rates were lower in 2008 compared to 2009-2013 after adjusting for age and sex. Readmission rates varied across race and age groups.