National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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AHRQ Research Studies Date
Topics
- Access to Care (11)
- Ambulatory Care and Surgery (2)
- Behavioral Health (1)
- Cancer (1)
- Cancer: Colorectal Cancer (1)
- Children/Adolescents (1)
- Chronic Conditions (1)
- Community-Based Practice (1)
- Disparities (4)
- Emergency Department (1)
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) (1)
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- (-) Policy (19)
- Practice Patterns (1)
- Prevention (1)
- Primary Care (1)
- Racial and Ethnic Minorities (1)
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- Screening (1)
- Social Determinants of Health (2)
- Substance Abuse (2)
- Uninsured (7)
- Vulnerable Populations (2)
- Young Adults (1)
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 19 of 19 Research Studies DisplayedHassmiller Lich K, O'Leary MC, Nambiar S
Estimating the impact of insurance expansion on colorectal cancer and related costs in North Carolina: a population-level simulation analysis.
Researchers used microsimulation to estimate the health and financial effects of insurance expansion and reduction scenarios in North Carolina (NC) for colorectal cancer screening (CRC). The full lifetime of a simulated population of residents age-eligible for CRC screening (aged 50-75) during a 5-year period were simulated. Findings indicate that the estimated cost savings--balancing increased CRC screening/testing costs against decreased cancer treatment costs--were approximately $30 M and $970 M for Medicaid expansion and Medicare-for-all scenarios, respectively, compared to status quo. The researchers concluded that insurance expansion will likely improve CRC screening both overall and in underserved populations while saving money, with the largest savings realized by Medicare.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Hassmiller Lich K, O'Leary MC, Nambiar S .
Estimating the impact of insurance expansion on colorectal cancer and related costs in North Carolina: a population-level simulation analysis.
Prev Med 2019 Dec;129s:105847. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.105847..
Keywords: Health Insurance, Cancer: Colorectal Cancer, Cancer, Healthcare Costs, Screening, Prevention, Medicaid, Medicare, Policy, Access to Care
Byhoff E, Taylor LA
Massachusetts community-based organization perspectives on Medicaid redesign.
The purpose of the study was to investigate how community-based organizations perceive Medicaid policy changes to address the social determinants of health. Forty-six key informant interviews were conducted, representing 44 community-based organizations across Massachusetts. Findings showed that changes to Medicaid policy can catalyze interest in partnership between healthcare organizations and community-based organizations. Recommendations included having policymakers and healthcare leadership ensure that community-based organizations are part of strategy development and social service program implementation.
AHRQ-funded; HS026664.
Citation: Byhoff E, Taylor LA .
Massachusetts community-based organization perspectives on Medicaid redesign.
Am J Prev Med 2019 Dec;57(6 Suppl 1):S74-s81. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2019.07.017..
Keywords: Medicaid, Social Determinants of Health, Policy, Health Insurance
Nguyen KH, Trivedi AN
Asian American access to care in the Affordable Care Act era: findings from a population-based survey in California.
This study compared coverage and access to care between non-Hispanic White and Asian American adults after the ACA in California. The data was disaggregated into the five most populous ethnic subgroups (Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Japanese). The outcomes measured were 1) being uninsured, 2) having a usual source of care, 3) delaying necessary medical care, and 4) delaying necessary prescription medications. The sample included 19,201 non-Hispanic White and 3077 Asian American adults aged 18 to 64 in California. Koreans were significantly less likely to report a usual source of care relative to non-Hispanic whites while Chinese and Vietnamese adults were significantly less likely to delay necessary care.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Nguyen KH, Trivedi AN .
Asian American access to care in the Affordable Care Act era: findings from a population-based survey in California.
J Gen Intern Med 2019 Nov;34(11):2660-68. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-05328-5..
Keywords: Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Access to Care, Disparities, Health Insurance, Uninsured, Policy
Jacobs PD, Selden TM
AHRQ Author: Jacobs PD, Selden TM
Changes in the equity of US health care financing in the period 2005-16.
This study examined changes in how households pay for health care spending in the United States from 2005 to 2016. At the start of the study period, households in the bottom 20% of income paid 26.8% of their income for health care compared to about half that amount for those with income in the top 1 percent. By 2016 the percentages had become about the same across all income levels. This result reflected increases in coverage through Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act Marketplaces.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Jacobs PD, Selden TM .
Changes in the equity of US health care financing in the period 2005-16.
Health Aff 2019 Nov;38(11):1791-800. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2019.00625..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Healthcare Costs, Health Insurance, Medicare, Policy
Huguet N, Angier H, Hoopes MJ
Prevalence of pre-existing conditions among community health center patients before and after the Affordable Care Act.
Investigators assessed the prevalence of pre-existing conditions for community health center (CHC) patients who gained insurance coverage post-Affordable Care Act (ACA). They found that their study emphasized the high prevalence of pre-existing conditions among CHC patients and the large increase in the proportion of patients with at least one of these diagnoses post-ACA. They conclude that, given how common these conditions are, repealing pre-existing condition protections could be extremely harmful to millions of patients and would likely exacerbate health care and health disparities.
AHRQ-funded; HS024270.
Citation: Huguet N, Angier H, Hoopes MJ .
Prevalence of pre-existing conditions among community health center patients before and after the Affordable Care Act.
J Am Board Fam Med 2019 Nov-Dec;32(6):883-89. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2019.06.190087..
Keywords: Health Status, Chronic Conditions, Health Insurance, Policy
Springer R, Marino M,, Bailey SR
Prescription opioid use patterns, use disorder diagnoses and addiction treatment receipt after the 2014 Medicaid expansion in Oregon.
This study compared the prevalence of receipt of opioid prescriptions and opioid use disorder (OUD), along with time from OUD diagnosis to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) receipt between Oregon residents who had been continuously insured by Medicaid, were newly insured after Medicaid expansion in 2014 or returned to Medicaid coverage after expansion.
AHRQ-funded; HS024270.
Citation: Springer R, Marino M,, Bailey SR .
Prescription opioid use patterns, use disorder diagnoses and addiction treatment receipt after the 2014 Medicaid expansion in Oregon.
Addiction 2019 Oct;114(10):1775-84. doi: 10.1111/add.14667..
Keywords: Opioids, Medication, Substance Abuse, Medicaid, Practice Patterns, Health Insurance, Access to Care, Policy
Holderness H, Angier H, Huguet N
Where do Oregon Medicaid Enrollees seek outpatient care post-Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion?
The purpose of this study was to understand where Oregon Medicaid beneficiaries sought care after the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion (emergency department, primary care, or specialist) and the interaction between primary care establishment and outpatient care utilization. Results showed that most newly and returning-insured Medicaid enrollees sought primary care rather than emergency department services and most became established with primary care, suggesting that both insurance and primary care continuity play a role in where patients seek health care services.
AHRQ-funded; HS024270.
Citation: Holderness H, Angier H, Huguet N .
Where do Oregon Medicaid Enrollees seek outpatient care post-Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion?
Med Care 2019 Oct;57(10):788-94. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001189..
Keywords: Access to Care, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Health Insurance, Healthcare Utilization, Medicaid, Policy
Kemmick Pintor J, Call KT
State-level immigrant prenatal health care policy and inequities in health insurance among children in mixed-status families.
Investigators sought to measure differences in insurance by mother's documentation status among a nationally representative sample of US-born children in immigrant families and to examine the role of state-level immigrant access to prenatal coverage. They found that, in states with nonrestrictive prenatal coverage for immigrants, there were no differences in children's insurance by mother's documentation status, while large inequities were observed within states with restrictive policies.
AHRQ-funded; HS021973.
Citation: Kemmick Pintor J, Call KT .
State-level immigrant prenatal health care policy and inequities in health insurance among children in mixed-status families.
Glob Pediatr Health 2019 Sep 26;6:2333794x19873535. doi: 10.1177/2333794x19873535..
Keywords: Policy, Health Insurance, Children/Adolescents, Access to Care, Vulnerable Populations, Disparities
Gordon SH, Sommers BD, Wilson I
The impact of Medicaid expansion on continuous enrollment: a two-state analysis.
Researchers assessed the impact of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act on continuity of Medicaid coverage among those enrolled prior to expansion. Comparing Colorado to Utah, they found that, following Medicaid expansion, enrollees in Colorado gained an additional 2 months of coverage over two years of follow-up and were 16 percentage points less likely to experience a coverage disruption in a given year relative to enrollees in Utah. They concluded that increasing Medicaid eligibility levels appeared to be an effective strategy with important implications for other states that are considering Medicaid expansion.
AHRQ-funded; HS025560.
Citation: Gordon SH, Sommers BD, Wilson I .
The impact of Medicaid expansion on continuous enrollment: a two-state analysis.
J Gen Intern Med 2019 Sep;34(9):1919-24. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-05101-8..
Keywords: Medicaid, Health Insurance, Policy, Access to Care, Vulnerable Populations
Rasmussen PW, Kominski GF
Sources of success in California's individual marketplace under the Affordable Care Act.
When passed in 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became the greatest piece of health care reform in the United States since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid. In the 9 years since its passage, the law has ushered in a drastic decrease in the number of uninsured Americans and has encouraged delivery system innovation. Although, the ACA has not been uniformly embraced, California has been a leader. In this paper, the authors discuss sources of success in California's individual marketplace under the Affordable Care Act.
AHRQ-funded; HS000046.
Citation: Rasmussen PW, Kominski GF .
Sources of success in California's individual marketplace under the Affordable Care Act.
J Health Polit Policy Law 2019 Aug 1;44(4):679-706. doi: 10.1215/03616878-7530849..
Keywords: Policy, Health Insurance, Uninsured, Medicaid, Medicare
Pickens G, Karaca Z, Gibson TB
AHRQ Author: Karaca Z, Wong HS
Changes in hospital service demand, cost, and patient illness severity following health reform.
This study examined the effects of expanded Medicaid coverage and the health insurance exchange on the number of hospital inpatient and emergency department (ED) utilization rates, cost, and patient illness severity. There was a significant drop in uninsured inpatient discharges and ED visits in states where Medicaid was expanded. For all by young females, uninsured inpatient discharge rates fell by 39% or greater. In nonexpansion states, the rates remained unchanged or increased slightly. Changes in all-payer and private insurance rates were not as dramatic, as was inpatient costs per discharge and all-payer inpatient costs.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 290201300002C.
Citation: Pickens G, Karaca Z, Gibson TB .
Changes in hospital service demand, cost, and patient illness severity following health reform.
Health Serv Res 2019 Aug;54(4):739-51. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13165..
Keywords: Access to Care, Health Insurance, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Utilization, Hospitals, Medicaid, Policy, Uninsured
Agarwal SD, Goldman AL, Sommers BD
Blue-collar workers had greatest insurance gains after ACA implementation.
The authors analyzed national survey data and found that workers in traditionally blue-collar industries experienced the largest gains in health insurance after implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2014. They found that, compared to other occupations, this group had lower employer-based coverage rates before the ACA. Most of the post-ACA coverage gains came from Medicaid and directly-purchased non-group insurance.
AHRQ-funded.
Citation: Agarwal SD, Goldman AL, Sommers BD .
Blue-collar workers had greatest insurance gains after ACA implementation.
Health Aff 2019 Jul;38(7):1140-44. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05454..
Keywords: Health Insurance, Policy, Access to Care, Uninsured
Heintzman J, Cottrell E, Angier H
Impact of alternative payment methodology on primary care visits and scheduling.
The authors used electronic health record data to evaluate the impact of Oregon’s Alternative Payment Methodology (APM) on visit and scheduling metrics in the first wave of experiment clinics. They found that APM clinics experienced a greater increase in same-day visits but did not significantly differ from comparators in other visit metrics.
AHRQ-funded; HS022651.
Citation: Heintzman J, Cottrell E, Angier H .
Impact of alternative payment methodology on primary care visits and scheduling.
J Am Board Fam Med 2019 Jul-Aug;32(4):539-49. doi: 10.3122/jabfm.2019.04.180368..
Keywords: Payment, Medicaid, Health Insurance, Policy
Huguet N, Valenzuela S, Marino M
Following uninsured patients through Medicaid expansion: ambulatory care use and diagnosed conditions.
The authors assessed ambulatory care use and diagnosed health conditions among a cohort of community health center (CHC) patients uninsured before enactment of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and followed them after enactment. They found that, post-ACA, 20.9% of patients remained uninsured, 15.0% gained Medicaid, 12.4% gained other insurance, and 51.7% did not have a visit. The authors concluded that a significant percentage of CHC patients remained uninsured; that many who remained uninsured had diagnosed health conditions; and that one-half continued to have three or more visits to CHCs, which continue to be essential providers for uninsured patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS024270.
Citation: Huguet N, Valenzuela S, Marino M .
Following uninsured patients through Medicaid expansion: ambulatory care use and diagnosed conditions.
Ann Fam Med 2019 Jul;17(4):336-44. doi: 10.1370/afm.2385..
Keywords: Access to Care, Ambulatory Care and Surgery, Community-Based Practice, Health Insurance, Healthcare Delivery, Medicaid, Policy, Uninsured
Seo V, Baggett TP, Thorndike AN
Access to care among Medicaid and uninsured patients in community health centers after the Affordable Care Act.
This study assessed differences in access to care for patients at Community Health Centers (CHCs) between those with continuous Medicaid coverage and those with gaps in insurance coverage, in order to examine the role of Medicaid coverage on care patterns for those with available safety net care. Data on adult patients with continuous Medicaid coverage and those with a period without insurance coverage in the last 12 months was gathered from the 2014 Health Center Patient Survey. Reported need for various types of care, prescription drugs, or referrals to care outside of the CHC, and reports of being delayed or unable to get needed care by insurance status were examined. Patients with insurance gaps were significantly more likely to report having difficulty obtaining medical care, prescription drugs, dental care, and completing outside referrals. The authors conclude that continuous Medicaid coverage appears to mitigate barriers to care for CHC patients when compared to those who have intermittent or no insurance coverage. Policies that increase disruptions in coverage could adversely impact access to care, even among those with available safety net care.
AHRQ-funding; HS025378.
Citation: Seo V, Baggett TP, Thorndike AN .
Access to care among Medicaid and uninsured patients in community health centers after the Affordable Care Act.
BMC Health Serv Res 2019 May 8;19(1):291. doi: 10.1186/s12913-019-4124-z..
Keywords: Access to Care, Health Insurance, Medicaid, Policy, Uninsured
Peterson E, Busch S
Achieving mental health and substance use disorder treatment parity: a quarter century of policy making and research.
This article reviews the history and measures benefits from the 2008 passing of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). It led to significant improvements in mental health care coverage. Directions for future research are also discussed.
AHRQ-funded; HS017589.
Citation: Peterson E, Busch S .
Achieving mental health and substance use disorder treatment parity: a quarter century of policy making and research.
Annu Rev Public Health 2018 Apr 1;39:421-35. doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040617-013603..
Keywords: Access to Care, Behavioral Health, Disparities, Health Insurance, Policy, Substance Abuse
Lines LM, Li NC, Mick EO
Emergency department and primary care use in Massachusetts 5 years after health reform.
The goal of this study was to identify characteristics of insured Massachusetts residents associated with primary care sensitive (PCS) emergency department (ED) use, and compare such use for public versus private insurees. The researchers used data on people under age 65 taken from the Massachusetts All-Payer Claims Data for 2011-2012. Their conclusions indicate that public insurance was associated with less access to primary care and more PCS ED use; statewide labor shortages and low reimbursement rates from public insurance may have provided inadequate access to care that might otherwise have helped reduce PCS ED use.
AHRQ-funded; HS022194.
Citation: Lines LM, Li NC, Mick EO .
Emergency department and primary care use in Massachusetts 5 years after health reform.
Med Care 2019 Feb;57(2):101-08. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001025..
Keywords: Emergency Department, Health Insurance, Policy, Primary Care
Wisk LE, Sharma N
Inequalities in young adult health insurance coverage post-federal health reform.
The article investigates disparities in the insurance coverage of young adults before and after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Data from the 2000-2016 National Health Interview Survey was used to compare the effects of the ACA on three groups, aged 13 to 18, 19 to 25, and 26 to 30, with the 19 to 25 group considered as “young adults” for the purposed of this study. Respondents reported their types of health insurance coverage during the last 12 months, their reasons for being uninsured, and sociodemographic information. The article concludes that the ACA significantly impacted insurance coverage for young adults, but disparities remain.
AHRQ-funded; HS022986.
Citation: Wisk LE, Sharma N .
Inequalities in young adult health insurance coverage post-federal health reform.
J Gen Intern Med 2019 Jan;34(1):65-74. doi: 10.1007/s11606-018-4723-0..
Keywords: Disparities, Health Insurance, Policy, Social Determinants of Health, Young Adults
Gordon SH, Sommers BD, Wilson IB
Risk factors for early disenrollment from Colorado's Affordable Care Act marketplace.
This study looked at risk factors for early disenrollment from Colorado’s Affordable Care Act marketplace. Researchers used all-payer claims data from individual market enrollees from 2014-2016. They discovered that nearly 25% Marketplace beneficiaries disenrolled midyear. The hazard rate of disenrollement was 30% lower in individuals with cost-sharing plans and 21% lower for those enrolled in gold plans compared to those enrolled in silver plans without cost-sharing subsidies. There was greater disenrollment in beneficiaries with greater hospital and emergency utilization before disenrollment. Also, young adults were 70% more likely to disenroll than older adults.
AHRQ-funded; HS025560.
Citation: Gordon SH, Sommers BD, Wilson IB .
Risk factors for early disenrollment from Colorado's Affordable Care Act marketplace.
Med Care 2019 Jan;57(1):49-53. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001020..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Health Insurance, Policy, Risk, Uninsured