National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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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.
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1 to 2 of 2 Research Studies DisplayedMarkovitz AA, Ayanian JZ, Warrier A
Medicare Advantage plan double bonuses drive racial disparity in payments, yield no quality or enrollment improvements.
Using national data for 2008-18, investigators found that double bonuses were not associated with either improvements in plan quality or increased Medicare Advantage enrollment. Additionally, double bonuses increased payments to plans to care for Black beneficiaries by $60 per year, compared with $91 for White beneficiaries. These findings suggest that double bonuses not only fail to improve quality and enrollment but also foster a racially inequitable distribution of Medicare funds that disfavors Black beneficiaries. This study supports eliminating double bonuses, thereby saving Medicare an estimated $1.8 billion per year.
AHRQ-funded; HS000053.
Citation: Markovitz AA, Ayanian JZ, Warrier A .
Medicare Advantage plan double bonuses drive racial disparity in payments, yield no quality or enrollment improvements.
Health Aff 2021 Sep;40(9):1411-19. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2021.00349..
Keywords: Medicare, Health Insurance, Payment, Quality Improvement, Quality of Care, Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Kaplan CM, Thompson MP, Waters TM
How have 30-day readmission penalties affected racial disparities in readmissions?: an analysis from 2007 to 2014 in five US states.
The purpose of this study was to examine changes in Black-White disparities in 30-day readmissions for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), congestive heart failure (CHF), or pneumonia following the passage and implementation of the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP), and to compare disparities across safety-net and non-safety-net hospitals. Prior to the passage of HRRP, Black and White readmission rates and disparities in readmissions were decreasing, with largest reductions at safety-net hospitals. Findings showed that improvements in readmissions have not reversed following the implementation of HRRP. In contrast, disparities continue to persist at non-safety-net hospitals.
AHRQ-funded; HS023783.
Citation: Kaplan CM, Thompson MP, Waters TM .
How have 30-day readmission penalties affected racial disparities in readmissions?: an analysis from 2007 to 2014 in five US states.
J Gen Intern Med 2019 Jun;34(6):878-83. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-04841-x..
Keywords: Hospital Readmissions, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Hospitals, Medicare, Payment