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AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 11 of 11 Research Studies DisplayedWerner RM, Konetzka RT, Qi M
The impact of Medicare copayments for skilled nursing facilities on length of stay, outcomes, and costs.
The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of Medicare's skilled nursing facility (SNF) copayment policy, with a large increase in the daily copayment rate on the 20th day of a benefit period, on length of stay, patient outcomes, and costs. The investigators concluded that Medicare's SNF copayment policy was associated with shorter lengths of stay and worse patient outcomes, suggesting the copayment policy had unintended and negative effects on patient outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS024266.
Citation: Werner RM, Konetzka RT, Qi M .
The impact of Medicare copayments for skilled nursing facilities on length of stay, outcomes, and costs.
Health Serv Res 2019 Dec;54(6):1184-92. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13227..
Keywords: Medicare, Nursing Homes, Payment, Long-Term Care, Healthcare Costs, Elderly, Hospitalization, Hospital Discharge
Rosa TD, Possin KL, Bernstein A
Variations in costs of a collaborative care model for dementia.
Care coordination programs can improve patient outcomes and decrease healthcare expenditures; however, implementation costs are poorly understood. In this study, the investigators evaluated the direct costs of implementing a collaborative dementia care program. They found that care team navigators caseload was an important driver of service cost. They provide strategies for maximizing caseload without sacrificing quality of care and discuss current barriers to broad implementation that can inform new reimbursement policies.
AHRQ-funded; HS022241.
Citation: Rosa TD, Possin KL, Bernstein A .
Variations in costs of a collaborative care model for dementia.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2019 Dec;67(12):2628-33. doi: 10.1111/jgs.16076.
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Keywords: Dementia, Healthcare Costs, Care Coordination, Elderly, Care Management, Implementation, Teams
Ganguli I, Lupo C, Mainor AJ
Prevalence and cost of care cascades after low-value preoperative electrocardiogram for cataract surgery in fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries.
This study examined the use and outcomes of preoperative electrocardiogram (EKG) for cataract surgery recipients on Medicare. The outcomes measured were cascade events if the EKG results were problematic. The study compared 110,183 cataract surgery recipients with 97,775 non-surgery participants (63.1% female). For the recipient group, 12,408 (11.3%) received a preoperative EKG (65.6% of them were female). Of those, 1978 (15.9%) had at least 1 potential cascade event. Additional tests, treatments, and cardiology visits added an additional estimated $35 million in addition to the $3.2 million spent on preoperative EKGs. Preoperative EKG recipients who were older, had more chronic conditions, lived in more cardiologist-dense areas, or had their EKG performed by a cardiac specialist rather than a primary care physician were more likely to experience a cascade event.
AHRQ-funded; HS023812.
Citation: Ganguli I, Lupo C, Mainor AJ .
Prevalence and cost of care cascades after low-value preoperative electrocardiogram for cataract surgery in fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries.
JAMA Intern Med 2019 Sep;179(9):1157-308. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.1739..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Medicare, Healthcare Utilization, Surgery, Elderly
Bateni SB, Gingrich AA, Jeon SY
Clinical outcomes and costs following unplanned excisions of soft tissue sarcomas in the elderly.
This study’s goal was to analyze the costs and outcomes of planned vs. unplanned soft tissue sarcoma (STS) excisions in the Medicare population. The authors analyzed 3913 surgical patients with STS >/=66 y old from 1992 to 2011 using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare (SEER-Medicare) datafiles. Planned excision rates were classified from preoperative MRI or biopsy records. There was no difference in survival rates between planned vs. unplanned excisions. Planned excisions costs were higher than unplanned excision with the first resection contributing to the majority of costs.
AHRQ-funded; HS022236.
Citation: Bateni SB, Gingrich AA, Jeon SY .
Clinical outcomes and costs following unplanned excisions of soft tissue sarcomas in the elderly.
J Surg Res 2019 Jul;239:125-35. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2019.01.055..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Cancer, Elderly, Surgery, Outcomes, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research
Reid R, Damberg C, Friedberg MW
Primary care spending in the fee-for-service Medicare population.
This research letter examine primary care spending in the fee-for-service Medicare population the US for 2015. Data was analyzed for all Medicare beneficiaries 65 years or older with 12 months of Part A and B fee-for-service medical coverage and Part D prescription cover. They used narrow and broad definitions of primary care practitioners (PCPs) and primary care services. The narrow definition only included physicians, while the broader definition included care by nurse practitioners, physician assistants, geriatric medicine and gynecology. Both definitions did not include care in hospitals. Primary care spending was analyzed for over 16 million beneficiaries, and spending represented 2.12% of total medical and prescription spending for the narrow definitions and 4.88% for the broad definitions. Spending was lower among older beneficiaries, black or North American Native, dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, and those with chronic conditions. Spending also varied state to state ranging from 1.59% in North Dakota to 4.74% in Iowa.
AHRQ-funded; HS024067.
Citation: Reid R, Damberg C, Friedberg MW .
Primary care spending in the fee-for-service Medicare population.
JAMA Intern Med 2019 Jul;179(7):977-80. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2018.8747..
Keywords: Elderly, Medicare, Primary Care, Healthcare Costs
Khandelwal N, White L, Curtis JR
Health insurance and out-of-pocket costs in the last year of life among decedents utilizing the ICU.
The objective of this study was to estimate out-of-pocket costs in the last year of life for individuals who required intensive care in the months prior to death and to examine how these costs vary by insurance coverage. Results showed that, across all categories of insurance coverage, out-of-pocket spending in the last 12 months of life was high and represented a significant portion of assets for many patients requiring intensive care and their families. Medicare fee-for-service alone did not insulate individuals from the financial burden of high-intensity care. Medicaid was found to provide the most complete hospital coverage of all the insurance groups, as well as significantly financing long-term care.
AHRQ-funded; HS022982.
Citation: Khandelwal N, White L, Curtis JR .
Health insurance and out-of-pocket costs in the last year of life among decedents utilizing the ICU.
Crit Care Med 2019 Jun;47(6):749-56. doi: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000003723..
Keywords: Critical Care, Elderly, Health Insurance, Healthcare Costs, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Medicaid, Medicare
Nuti SV, Li SX, Xu X
Association of in-hospital resource utilization with post-acute spending in Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction: a cross-sectional study.
This study compared costs among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged 65 and over hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) from 2010 to 2013 in the Premiere Healthcare Database. The association of in-hospital and post-acute care resource utilization and outcomes was examined. Researchers concluded that greater resource utilization during hospitalization was not associated with meaning differences in costs or mortality rates after hospitalization.
AHRQ-funded; HS023000.
Citation: Nuti SV, Li SX, Xu X .
Association of in-hospital resource utilization with post-acute spending in Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction: a cross-sectional study.
BMC Health Serv Res 2019 Mar 25;19(1):190. doi: 10.1186/s12913-019-4018-0..
Keywords: Cardiovascular Conditions, Elderly, Healthcare Costs, Hospitalization, Medicare
Hung A, Mullins CD, Slejko JF
Using a budget impact model framework to evaluate antidiabetic formulary changes and utilization management tools.
This study projected cost savings to the TRICARE program from changes to the antidiabetic formulary and utilization management (UM) policies. Budgetary impacts for 3 years as projected using a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. This model projected a savings of up to $43 million in the third year from revisions to the payer’s formulary.
AHRQ-funded; HS024857.
Citation: Hung A, Mullins CD, Slejko JF .
Using a budget impact model framework to evaluate antidiabetic formulary changes and utilization management tools.
J Manag Care Spec Pharm 2019 Mar;25(3):342-49. doi: 10.18553/jmcp.2019.25.3.342..
Keywords: Care Management, Elderly, Healthcare Costs, Medication, Policy
Bustamante AV, Martinez A, Rich J
Comparing costs of a senior wellness care redesign in group and independent physician practices of an accountable care organization.
Primary care redesign for older adult patients is currently ongoing in countries with aging populations. One of the main challenges of this type of transformations is how to estimate implementation costs in different types of health care delivery organizations. This study compares start-up and incremental expenses of implementing a primary care redesign across 2 organization types.
AHRQ-funded; HS022634.
Citation: Bustamante AV, Martinez A, Rich J .
Comparing costs of a senior wellness care redesign in group and independent physician practices of an accountable care organization.
Int J Health Plann Manage 2019 Jan;34(1):241-50. doi: 10.1002/hpm.2622..
Keywords: Elderly, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Delivery, Primary Care
Mennemeyer ST, Owsley C, McGwin Jr G
Reducing older driver motor vehicle collisions via earlier cataract surgery.
The researchers used a Monte Carlo simulation model to examine a hypothetical situation where rules in place in the U.S. for authorizing payment for cataract surgery were relaxed in favor of allowing surgery earlier for less bothersome complaints of visual difficulties in doing daily activities. They found that motor vehicle collisions, fatalities, and total societal costs can all be reduced by earlier cataract surgery.
AHRQ-funded; HS017962
Citation: Mennemeyer ST, Owsley C, McGwin Jr G .
Reducing older driver motor vehicle collisions via earlier cataract surgery.
Accid Anal Prev. 2013 Dec;61:203-11. doi: 10.1016/j.aap.2013.01.002..
Keywords: Elderly, Eye Disease and Health, Healthcare Costs
Sheppard KD, Brown CJ, Hearld KR
Symptom burden predicts nursing home admissions among older adults.
Using a sample of community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries in Alabama who were contacted by telephone every 6 months during an eight and a half-year study, researchers found that symptom burden is an independent risk factor for NH admission. The study suggests that symptom assessment and management may reduce NH utilization.
AHRQ-funded; HS013852
Citation: Sheppard KD, Brown CJ, Hearld KR .
Symptom burden predicts nursing home admissions among older adults.
J Pain Symptom Manage. 2013 Oct;46(4):591-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2012.10...
Keywords: Medicare, Long-Term Care, Elderly, Nursing Homes, Healthcare Costs