Section 1013: Priority Topics for Research

Section 1013 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) authorizes research, demonstrations, and evaluations to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of the Federally-administered Medicare program and two programs for which funding and administration is shared with the States: Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

Priority Conditions Selected

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) will develop state-of-the-art information about the effectiveness of interventions, including prescription drugs, for 10 top conditions affecting Medicare beneficiaries. This list of 10 priority conditions was developed with input from the public and stakeholders.

The priority conditions identified for study are:

• Ischemic heart disease.
• Cancer.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/asthma.
• Stroke, including control of hypertension.
• Arthritis and non-traumatic joint disorders.
• Diabetes mellitus.
• Dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.
• Pneumonia.
• Peptic ulcer/dyspepsia.
• Depression and other mood disorders.

The research, which will take the form of systematic reviews and syntheses of the scientific literature, will focus on the evidence of outcomes, comparative clinical effectiveness, and appropriateness of health care items such as pharmaceuticals and health care services, including the manner in which they are organized, managed, and delivered. The results of the studies will be made available to Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP programs as well as to health plans, prescription drug plans, other health care providers, and the public.

Suggest Topics

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services invites suggestions from interested organizations and knowledgeable individuals regarding the highest priorities for research, demonstration, and evaluation projects to implement this section.

Recommendations for research that are made by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the States, and other stakeholders will be reviewed and prioritized by a steering committee of the Department.

Review the public comments on research topics received as feedback.

Learn more about AHRQ research authorized under Section 1013 of the MMA.