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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 25 of 201 Research Studies DisplayedHider AM, Gomez-Rexrode AE, Agius J
Association of bundled payments with spending, utilization, and quality for surgical conditions: a scoping review.
This scoping review assessed the body of literature examining episode-based bundled payment models effect on health care spending, utilization, and quality of care for surgical conditions. Bundled payment models let hospitals receive financial incentives to reduce spending on care provided to patients during a predefined clinical episode. The review queried four databases from inception through September 27, 2021. A total of 879 unique articles were found, of which 28 met final inclusion criteria. Of these studies, 23 out of 28 evaluated the impact of voluntary bundled payments in orthopedic surgery and found that bundled payments are associated with reduced spending on total care episodes, attributed primarily to decreases in post-acute care spending. This reduced spending did not worsen clinical outcomes (e.g., readmissions, complications, and mortality). Evidence for non-orthopedic surgery bundled payments remains limited.
AHRQ-funded; HS028606.
Citation: Hider AM, Gomez-Rexrode AE, Agius J .
Association of bundled payments with spending, utilization, and quality for surgical conditions: a scoping review.
Am J Surg 2024 Mar; 229:83-91. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2023.12.009.
Keywords: Surgery, Payment, Healthcare Costs
Lopez JM, Wing H, Ackerman SL
Community health center staff perspectives on financial payments for social care.
The purpose of this study was to examine how community health center (CHC) staff perceive the current and potential influence of fee-for-service payments on clinical teams' engagement in these activities. The researchers interviewed 42 clinicians, frontline staff, and administrative leaders employed by12 Oregon CHC clinical sites about their social care initiatives. The study grouped the findings into three categories: 1. participants' awareness of existing or anticipated financial incentives, 2. uses for incentive dollars, and 3. perceived impact of financial incentives on social care activities in clinical practices. Current or anticipated important uses for incentive dollars included paying for social care staff, providing social services, and supporting additional fundraising efforts. Frontline staff reported that the strongest influence on clinic social care practices was the ability to provide responsive social services. Clinic leaders reported that for financial incentives to significantly change CHC practices would necessitate payments large enough to expand the social care workforce as well.
AHRQ-funded; HS026435.
Citation: Lopez JM, Wing H, Ackerman SL .
Community health center staff perspectives on financial payments for social care.
Milbank Q 2023 Dec; 101(4):1304-26. doi: 10.1111/1468-0009.12667..
Keywords: Community-Based Practice, Payment, Healthcare Delivery
Scott JW, Neiman PU, Scott KW
High deductibles are associated with severe disease, catastrophic out-of-pocket payments for emergency surgical conditions.
This retrospective analysis of claims data examined the association of a high-deductible health insurance plan (HDHP) with severe disease and catastrophic out-of-pocket payments for emergency surgical conditions (e.g., appendicitis, cholecystitis, diverticulitis, and intestinal obstruction). Primary outcome was disease severity at presentation-determined using ICD-10-CM diagnoses codes and based on validated measures of anatomic severity (e.g., perforation, abscess, diffuse peritonitis). The secondary outcome was catastrophic out-of-pocket spending, defined by the World Health Organization as out-of-pocket spending >10% of annual income. Among 43,516 patients [mean age 48.4 years; 51% female], 41% were enrolled in HDHPs. Despite being younger, healthier, wealthier, and more educated, HDHP enrollees were more likely to present with more severe disease (28.5% vs 21.3%); even after adjusting for relevant demographics. HDHP enrollees were also more likely to incur 30-day out-of-pocket spending that exceeded 10% of annual income (20.8% vs 6.4%).
AHRQ-funded; HS027788; HS028672.
Citation: Scott JW, Neiman PU, Scott KW .
High deductibles are associated with severe disease, catastrophic out-of-pocket payments for emergency surgical conditions.
Ann Surg 2023 Oct 1; 278(4):e667-e74. doi: 10.1097/sla.0000000000005819..
Keywords: Health Insurance, Healthcare Costs, Payment, Surgery
Kwon Y, Perraillon MC, Drake C
Comparison of primary payer in cancer registry and discharge data.
The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to ascertain agreement between variables capturing the primary payer at cancer diagnosis across the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry (PCR) and statewide facility discharge records (Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council [PHC4]) for adults under 65 years, and to examine variables related with misclassification of Medicaid status in the registry given the role of managed care. The researchers evaluated agreement of payer at diagnosis across data sources. The study found that agreement of payers was high for private insurance, but there was misclassification and/or underreporting of Medicaid in the registry. Among cases with "other" and "unknown" insurance, 73.8% and 62.1%, respectively, had private insurance. Medicaid managed care was related with a statistically significant increase of 12.6 percentage points in the probability of misclassifying Medicaid enrollment as private insurance in the registry.
AHRQ-funded; HS027396.
Citation: Kwon Y, Perraillon MC, Drake C .
Comparison of primary payer in cancer registry and discharge data.
Am J Manag Care 2023 Sep; 29(9):455-62. doi: 10.37765/ajmc.2023.89425..
Keywords: Cancer, Payment
Waltman A, Konetzka RT, Chia S
Effectiveness of a bundled payments for care improvement program for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
This single-site retrospective observational study evaluated the impact of an evidence-based transitions of care program on episode costs and readmission rates, comparing patients hospitalized for COPD exacerbations who received versus those who did not receive the intervention. Between October 2015 and September 2018, 132 received and 161 did not receive the program. Below target mean episode costs were found for six out of eleven quarters for the intervention group, as opposed to only one out of twelve quarters for the control group. Overall, there were non-significant mean savings of $2551 in episode costs relative to target costs for the intervention group, though results varied by index admission diagnosis-related group (DRG). There were additional costs of $4184 per episode for the least-complicated cohort (DRG 192), but savings of $1897 and $1753 for the most complicated index admissions (DRGs 191 and 190, respectively). A significant mean decrease of 0.24 readmissions per episode for intervention was observed in 90-day readmission rates relative to control. Skilled nursing facility readmissions and hospital discharges were factors of higher costs (mean increases of $9098 and $17,095 per episode respectively).
AHRQ-funded; HS027804.
Citation: Waltman A, Konetzka RT, Chia S .
Effectiveness of a bundled payments for care improvement program for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
J Gen Intern Med 2023 Sep; 38(12):2662-70. doi: 10.1007/s11606-023-08249-6..
Keywords: Respiratory Conditions, Chronic Conditions, Payment, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care
Anderson KE, DiStefano MJ, Liu A
Incorporating added therapeutic benefit and domestic reference pricing into Medicare payment for expensive part B drugs.
The objective of this retrospective analysis was to identify expensive Part B drugs and to consider the evidence for each drug's added benefit in order to model a reimbursement policy for Medicare that integrates added benefit assessment and domestic reference pricing. Data were taken from a nationally representative sample of traditional Medicare Part B claims. The analysis showed that more than one-third of the expensive Part B drugs prescribed in 2019 offered low added benefit. The authors concluded that reference pricing based on added benefit assessment could be used to address the launch prices for expensive Part B drugs with low added benefit.
AHRQ-funded; HS000029.
Citation: Anderson KE, DiStefano MJ, Liu A .
Incorporating added therapeutic benefit and domestic reference pricing into Medicare payment for expensive part B drugs.
Value Health 2023 Sep; 26(9):1381-88. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2023.05.018..
Keywords: Medicare, Payment, Medication, Healthcare Costs
Lewis A, Howland RE, Horwitz LI
Medicaid value-based payments and health care use for patients with mental illness.
This retrospective cohort study’s objective was to investigate if New York State's Medicaid value-based payment reform was associated with improved utilization patterns for patients with mental illness (major depression disorder, bipolar disorder, and/or schizophrenia). The cohort included Medicaid 306,290 individuals with depression (67.4% female; mean age, 38.6 years), 85,105 patients with bipolar disorder (59.6% female; mean age, 38.0 years), and 71,299 patients with schizophrenia (45.1% female mean age, 40.3 years). After adjustment, the analysis estimated a statistically significant, positive association between value-based payments and behavioral health visits for patients with depression (0.91 visits) and bipolar disorder (1.01 visits). There were no statistically significant changes to primary care visits for patients with depression and bipolar disorder, but value-based payments were associated with reductions in primary care visits for patients with schizophrenia (-1.31 visits). In every diagnostic population, value-based payment was associated with significant reductions in mental health emergency department visits (population with depression: -0.01 visits; population with bipolar disorder: -0.02 visits; population with schizophrenia: -0.04 visits).
AHRQ-funded; HS026980; HS026120.
Citation: Lewis A, Howland RE, Horwitz LI .
Medicaid value-based payments and health care use for patients with mental illness.
JAMA Health Forum 2023 Sep; 4(9):e233197. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2023.3197..
Keywords: Medicaid, Behavioral Health, Payment, Depression
Landon BE, Lam MB, Landrum MB
Opportunities for savings in risk arrangements for oncologic care.
High spending for cancer care is a target for savings as the United States hastens adoption of alternative payment through global payment models such as Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) or Medicare Advantage (MA). The purpose of this study was to quantify the level at which Accountable Care Organizations ACOs and other risk-bearing organizations operating in a specific geographic area could realize savings by directing patients to efficient medical oncology practices. The incident cohort included 1,309,825 patients Options for directing differed across markets; the top quartile market had 10 or more oncology practices, but the bottom quartile had 3 or fewer oncology practices. Total spending (including Medicare Part D) in the incident cohort increased from a mean of $57,314 in 2009 to 2010 to $66,028 in 2016 to 2017. Within markets, total spending for practices in the highest spending quartile was 19% greater than in the lowest quartile. Hospital spending was the single largest component of spending in both time periods followed by Part B (infused) chemotherapy. Correlations in practice-level spending between the first-year (2009) and second-year (2010) spending were high.
Citation: Landon BE, Lam MB, Landrum MB .
Opportunities for savings in risk arrangements for oncologic care.
JAMA Health Forum 2023 Sep; 4(9):e233124. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2023.3124..
Keywords: Cancer, Medicare, Healthcare Costs, Payment
Tummalapalli SL, Struthers SA, White D
Optimal care for kidney health: development of a Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) value pathway.
This article detailed the iterative consensus-building process used by the American Society of Nephrology Quality Committee to develop the Optimal Care for Kidney Health Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Value Pathway (MVP). The Optimal Care for Kidney Health MVP, published in the 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule, included measures related to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker use, hypertension control, readmissions, acute kidney injury requiring dialysis, and advance care planning. The MVP nephrology’s goal was to streamline measure selection in MIPS and served as a case study of collaborative policymaking between one professional organization and national regulatory agencies.
AHRQ-funded; HS028684.
Citation: Tummalapalli SL, Struthers SA, White D .
Optimal care for kidney health: development of a Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) value pathway.
J Am Soc Nephrol 2023 Aug; 34(8):1315-28. doi: 10.1681/asn.0000000000000163..
Keywords: Kidney Disease and Health, Payment, Healthcare Costs, Medicare
Loomer L, Rahman M, Mroz TM
Impact of higher payments for rural home health episodes on rehospitalizations.
This article evaluated the impact of higher Medicare payments for rural home health care on rehospitalizations. In 2010, Medicare began paying home health (HH) providers 3% more to serve rural beneficiaries. The authors used Medicare data on postacute HH episodes from 2007 to 2014 to estimate the impact of higher payments on beneficiaries outcomes using difference-in-differences analysis, comparing rehospitalizations between rural and urban postacute HH episodes before and after 2010. Their sample included 5.6 million post acute HH episodes (18% rural). After 2010 30- and 60-day rehospitalization rates declined by 10.08% and 16.49% for urban HH episodes and 9.87% and 16.08% for rural HH episodes, respectively. The difference-in-difference estimate was 0.29 percentage points and 0.57 percentage points for 30- and 60-day rehospitalization, respectively.
AHRQ-funded; HS027054.
Citation: Loomer L, Rahman M, Mroz TM .
Impact of higher payments for rural home health episodes on rehospitalizations.
J Rural Health 2023 Jun; 39(3):604-10. doi: 10.1111/jrh.12725..
Keywords: Payment, Rural Health, Rural/Inner-City Residents, Hospital Readmissions, Hospitalization
Maclean JC, McClellan C, Pesko MF
AHRQ Author: McClellan C
Medicaid reimbursement rates for primary care services and behavioral health outcomes.
This AHRQ-authored research studied the effects of changing Medicaid reimbursement rates for primary care services on behavioral health outcomes-defined here as mental illness and substance use disorders. The authors applied two-way fixed-effects regressions to survey data specifically designed to measure behavioral health outcomes over the period 2010-2016. They found that higher primary care reimbursement rates reduce mental illness and substance use disorders among non-elderly adult Medicaid enrollees, although they interpreted findings for substance use disorders with some caution as they may be vulnerable to differential pre-trends. Overall, their findings suggest positive spillovers from a policy designed to target primary care services to behavioral health outcomes.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Maclean JC, McClellan C, Pesko MF .
Medicaid reimbursement rates for primary care services and behavioral health outcomes.
Health Econ 2023 Jan 6;32(4):873-909. doi: 10.1002/hec.4646.
Keywords: Medicaid, Payment, Primary Care, Behavioral Health, Outcomes, Access to Care, Substance Abuse, Health Insurance
Ko H, Martin BI, Nelson RE
How does the effect of the comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement model vary based on surgical volume and costs of care?
This article described differences in costs, quality, and patient selection between hospitals that continued to participate in the comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) program after the CMS policy revision and those that withdrew from CJR before and after the implementation of CJR. Study subjects were Medicare beneficiaries who had undergone elective lower extremity joint replacement from 2013 to 2017. The results indicated that hospitals that continued to participate in CJR achieved a greater cost reduction. The authors noted that these the cost reductions were partly attributable to the avoidance of potential higher-cost patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS024714.
Citation: Ko H, Martin BI, Nelson RE .
How does the effect of the comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement model vary based on surgical volume and costs of care?
Med Care 2023 Jan;61(1):20-26. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001785..
Keywords: Orthopedics, Surgery, Healthcare Costs, Medicare, Payment
Auty SG, Daw JR, Wallace J
State-level variation in supplemental maternity kick payments in Medicaid managed care.
The purpose of the cross-sectional study described in this research letter was to assesses the prevalence and magnitude of state-level delivery event–triggered kick payments to Medicaid managed care (MMC) plans for covering pregnant patients and the association of such payments with delivery costs. MMC kick payment rates were compared with average state Medicaid fee-for-service (FFS) payments for delivery hospitalizations and state kick payment rates compared with the Medicaid-Medicare fee index. The authors found “substantial and potentially unwarranted” state variation in delivery kick payment rates within MMC. They noted that if kick payment rates are set too low, plans may attempt to avoid pregnant enrollees by limiting coverage of certain services or restricting maternity care clinicians in their networks, with consequences for Black and Indigenous maternity patients.
AHRQ-funded; HS028754.
Citation: Auty SG, Daw JR, Wallace J .
State-level variation in supplemental maternity kick payments in Medicaid managed care.
JAMA Intern Med 2023 Jan; 183(1):80-82. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.5146..
Keywords: Care Management, Health Insurance, Access to Care, Payment, Maternal Care
Liao JM, Wang E, Isidro U
The association between bundled payment participation and changes in medical episode outcomes among high-risk patients.
This research evaluated whether the association between participation in bundled payments for medical conditions and episode outcomes differed for clinically high-risk versus other patients in regard to length of stay (LOS) at skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Participants included 471,421 Medicare patients hospitalized at bundled payment and propensity-matched non-participating hospitals. Primary outcomes were SNF LOS and 90-day unplanned readmissions. SNF length of stay was differentially lower among frail patients, patients with advanced age (>85 years), and those with prior institutional post-acute care provider utilization compared to non-frail, younger, and patients without prior utilization, respectively. Bundled payment participation was also associated with differentially greater SNF LOS among disabled patients. It was not associated with differential changes in readmissions in any high-risk group but was associated with changes in quality, utilization, and spending measures for some groups.
AHRQ-funded; HS027595.
Citation: Liao JM, Wang E, Isidro U .
The association between bundled payment participation and changes in medical episode outcomes among high-risk patients.
Healthcare 2022 Dec 12; 10(12). doi: 10.3390/healthcare10122510..
Keywords: Payment, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Risk, Policy
Collins CR, Abel MK, Shui A
Preparing for participation in the centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' bundle care payment initiative-advanced for major bowel surgery.
This study aimed to assess where the largest opportunities for care improvement lay with the bundled payment reimbursement model and how best to identify patients at high risk of suffering costly complications, including hospital readmission. The authors used a cohort of patients from 2014 and 2016 who met inclusion criteria for the Major Bowel Bundled Payment Program and performed a cost analysis to identify opportunities for improved care efficiency. Using the results, they identified readmissions as a target for improvement and then assessed whether the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program surgical risk calculator (ACS NSQIP SRC) could accurately identify patients within the bundled payment population who were at high risk of readmission using a logistic regression model. Patients who were readmitted within 90-days post-surgery were 2.53 times more likely to be high-cost (>$60,000) then non-readmitted patients. However, the ACS NSQIP SRC did not accurately predict patients at high risk of readmission within the first 30 days post-surgery.
AHRQ-funded; HS024532.
Citation: Collins CR, Abel MK, Shui A .
Preparing for participation in the centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' bundle care payment initiative-advanced for major bowel surgery.
Perioper Med 2022 Dec 9;11(1):54. doi: 10.1186/s13741-022-00286-9..
Keywords: Provider Performance, Payment, Hospital Readmissions, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Surgery, Medicare, Medicaid
Liao JM, Huang Q, Wang E
Performance of physician groups and hospitals participating in bundled payments among Medicare beneficiaries.
This cohort study compared how physician group practices (PGPs) performed in bundled payments compared with hospitals. The authors used 2011 to 2018 Medicare claims data to compare the association of participants in the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BCPI) initiative with episode outcomes. Primary outcome was 90-day total episode spending. The total sampled comprised data from 1,288,781 Medicare beneficiaries, of whom mean age was 76.2 years, 59.7% women, and 85.5% White, with 592,071 individuals receiving care from 6405 physicians in in BPCI-participating PGPs and 24,758 propensity-matched physicians in non-BPCI-participating PGPs. For PGPs, BPCI participation was associated with greater reductions in episode spending for surgical (difference, -$1648 to -$1088) but not for medical episodes (difference, -$410 to $206). Hospital participation in BPCI was associated with greater reductions in episode spending for both surgical ($1345 to -$675) and medical -$1139 to -$386) episodes.
AHRQ-funded; HS027595.
Citation: Liao JM, Huang Q, Wang E .
Performance of physician groups and hospitals participating in bundled payments among Medicare beneficiaries.
JAMA Health Forum 2022 Dec 2; 3(12):e224889. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.4889..
Keywords: Provider Performance, Payment, Hospitals, Medicare, Quality of Care
Maganty A, Hollenbeck BK, Kaufman SR
Implications of the merit-based incentive payment system for urology practices.
The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to analyze urologist performance in the Medicare merit-based incentive payment system (MIPS) for urology practices for 2017 and 2019 using Medicare data. MIPS scores were estimated by practice organization. The study found that urologists from small practices performed worse in MIPS and had a significantly lower adjusted odds ratio of receiving bonus payments in both 2017 and 2019 compared to larger group practices. Urologists who received penalties in 2017 had greater rates of consolidation by 2019 compared to those who were not penalized. The researchers concluded that smaller urology practices and urology practices caring for a greater percentage of dual eligible beneficiaries typically performed worse in the Medicare merit-based incentive payment system.
AHRQ-funded; HS025707.
Citation: Maganty A, Hollenbeck BK, Kaufman SR .
Implications of the merit-based incentive payment system for urology practices.
Urology 2022 Nov;169:84-91. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2022.05.052..
Keywords: Payment, Provider Performance, Provider: Physician
Likosky DS, Yang G, Zhang M
Interhospital variability in health care-associated infections and payments after durable ventricular assist device implant among Medicare beneficiaries.
The purpose of this study was to examine differences in durable ventricular assist device implantation infection rates and associated costs across hospitals. The researchers utilized clinical data for 8,688 patients who received primary durable ventricular assist devices from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (Intermacs) hospitals (n = 120) and merged that data with post-implantation 90-day Medicare claims. The primary outcome included infections within 90 days of implantation and Medicare payments. The study found that 27.8% of patients developed 3982 identified infections. The median adjusted incidence of infections (per 100 patient-months) across hospitals was 14.3 and differed according to hospital. Total Medicare payments from implantation to 90 days were 9.0% more in high versus low infection tercile hospitals. The researchers concluded that health-care-associated infection rates post durable ventricular assist device implantation varied according to hospital and were associated with increased 90-day Medicare expenditures.
AHRQ-funded; HS026003.
Citation: Likosky DS, Yang G, Zhang M .
Interhospital variability in health care-associated infections and payments after durable ventricular assist device implant among Medicare beneficiaries.
J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2022 Nov;164(5):1561-68. doi: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2021.04.074..
Keywords: Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Medical Devices, Medicare, Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Hospitals, Payment, Healthcare Costs
Li J, Wu B, Flory J
Impact of the Affordable Care Act's Physician Payments Sunshine Act on branded statin prescribing.
The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of the Affordable Care Act's Physician Payments Sunshine Act (PPSA) and its mandate of disclosing pharmaceutical and medical industry payments to physicians for prescribing branded statins. The study found that the PPSA contributed to a 7% decrease in monthly new prescriptions of brand-name statins over the study period. There was no significant change in generic prescribing. The reduction was concentrated among physicians with the highest tercile of drug spending prior to the enactment of the PPSA, with a decrease of 15% in new branded statin prescriptions. The researchers concluded that the PPSA mandate reduced the prescribing of branded statin prescriptions in the time period following its announcement, especially in physicians who were taking part in excessive prescribing of the branded statins.
AHRQ-funded; HS027001.
Citation: Li J, Wu B, Flory J .
Impact of the Affordable Care Act's Physician Payments Sunshine Act on branded statin prescribing.
Health Serv Res 2022 Oct;57(5):1145-53. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.14024..
Keywords: Payment, Policy, Medicare, Health Insurance
Lipton BJ, Decker SL, Stitt B
AHRQ Author: Decker SL Manski RJ
Association between Medicaid dental payment policies and children's dental visits, oral health, and school absences.
The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess the relationship between the ratio of Medicaid payment rates to dentist charges and children's preventive dental visits, oral health, and school absences. The researchers conducted a difference-in-differences analysis of 15,738 Medicaid-enrolled children and a control group of 16 867 privately insured children aged 6 to 17 years who participated in the 2016-2019 National Survey of Children's Health. The study found that 87% and 48% of Medicaid-enrolled children had at least 1 and at least 2 past-year dental visits, respectively, and 29% had parent-reported excellent oral health. Increasing the fee ratio by was associated with increases in at least 1 and 2 visits and in excellent oral health. Increases in at least 2 visits were larger for Hispanic children than for White children. By weighted baseline estimates, 28% and 15% of Medicaid-enrolled children had at least 4 and at least 7 past-year school absences, respectively. The researchers concluded that Medicaid policies with higher payments were associated with modest increases in children's preventive dental visits and excellent oral health.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Lipton BJ, Decker SL, Stitt B .
Association between Medicaid dental payment policies and children's dental visits, oral health, and school absences.
JAMA Health Forum 2022 Sep 2;3(9):e223041. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.3041..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Dental and Oral Health, Medicaid, Payment, Policy
Waters TM, Burns N, Kaplan CM
Combined impact of medicare's hospital pay for performance programs on quality and safety outcomes is mixed.
The authors examined the combined impact of Medicare's pay for performance (P4P) programs on clinical areas and populations targeted by the programs, as well as those outside their focus. Using HCUP data, and consistent with previous studies for individual programs, they detected minimal, if any, effect of Medicare's hospital P4P programs on quality and safety. They recommended a redesigning of the P4P programs before continuing to expand them.
AHRQ-funded; HS025148.
Citation: Waters TM, Burns N, Kaplan CM .
Combined impact of medicare's hospital pay for performance programs on quality and safety outcomes is mixed.
BMC Health Serv Res 2022 Jul 28;22(1):958. doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-08348-w..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Medicare, Payment, Provider Performance, Hospitals, Quality Indicators (QIs), Quality Measures, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Patient Safety
Post B, Norton EC, Hollenbeck BK
Hospital-physician integration and risk-coding intensity.
This study analyzed whether hospital-physician integration affects providers' coding of patient severity, because greater diagnostic severity will increase practices’ payment under risk-based arrangements. The authors used a two-way fixed effects model, an event study, and a stacked difference-in-differences analysis of 5 million patient-year observations from 2010 to 2015. They found that the integration of a patient's primary care doctor is associated with a robust 2%-4% increase in coded severity, the risk-score equivalent of aging a physician's patients by 4-8 months. This effect wasn’t driven by physicians treating different patients nor by physicians seeing patients more often. Their evidence is consistent with the hypothesis that hospitals share organizational resources with acquired physician practices to increase the measured clinical severity of patients. They believe that increases in the intensity of coding will improve vertically-integrated practices' performance in alternative payment models and pay-for-performance programs while raising overall health care spending.
AHRQ-funded; HS025707;HS027044.
Citation: Post B, Norton EC, Hollenbeck BK .
Hospital-physician integration and risk-coding intensity.
Health Econ 2022 Jul; 31(7):1423-37. doi: 10.1002/hec.4516..
Keywords: Hospitals, Provider: Physician, Payment
Apathy NC, Hare AJ, Fendrich S
Early changes in billing and notes after evaluation and management guideline change.
This study investigated whether the American Medical Association updated 2021 guidance for frequently used billing codes for outpatient evaluation and management (E/M) visits changed E/M visit use, documentation length, and time spent in the electronic health record (EHR). The authors used data from 303,547 advanced practice providers and physicians across 389 organizations who use the Epic Systems EHR. Data containing weekly provider-level E/M code and EHR use metadata were extracted from the Epic Signal database for visits from September 2020 through April 2021. Following the new guidelines, level 3 visits decreased by 2.41 percentage points to 38.5% of all E/M visits, a 5.9% relative decrease from fall 2020. Level 4 visits increased by 0.89 percentage points to 40.9% of E/M visits, a 2.2% relative increase. Level 5 visits (the highest acuity level) increased by 1.85 percentage points to 10.1% of E/M visits, a 22.6% relative increase. Changes varied by specialty. No meaning changes in measures of note length or time spent in the EHR were found. The authors noted that fully realizing the intended benefits of this guideline change will require more time, facilitation, and scaling of best practices that more directly address EHR documentation practices and associated burden.
AHRQ-funded; HS026116.
Citation: Apathy NC, Hare AJ, Fendrich S .
Early changes in billing and notes after evaluation and management guideline change.
Ann Intern Med 2022 Apr;175(4):499-504. doi: 10.7326/m21-4402..
Keywords: Payment, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Technology (HIT)
Burstein DS, Liss DT, Linder JA
Association of primary care physician compensation incentives and quality of care in the United States, 2012-2016.
AHRQ-funded; 233201500020I; HS026506; HS028127.
Citation: Burstein DS, Liss DT, Linder JA .
Association of primary care physician compensation incentives and quality of care in the United States, 2012-2016.
J Gen Intern Med 2022 Feb;37(2):359-66. doi: 10.1007/s11606-021-06617-8..
Keywords: Primary Care, Payment, Quality of Care
Kilaru AS, Crider CR, Chiang J
Health care leaders' perspectives on the Maryland all-payer model.
The purpose of this study was to examine perspectives on the implementation of the Maryland All-Payer Model (MDAPM) among health care leaders who participated in its design and execution. Findings identified key themes: expectations, autonomy, communication, actionable data, global budget calibration, and shared commitment to change. Together, these themes suggested that implementing the payment model followed an evolving and collaborative process that required stakeholder communication, data to guide decisions, and commitment to operating within the new payment system.
AHRQ-funded; HS026372.
Citation: Kilaru AS, Crider CR, Chiang J .
Health care leaders' perspectives on the Maryland all-payer model.
JAMA Health Forum 2022 Feb;3(2):e214920. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2021.4920..
Keywords: Payment, Healthcare Costs