National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
Latest available findings on quality of and access to health care
Data
- Data Infographics
- Data Visualizations
- Data Tools
- Data Innovations
- All-Payer Claims Database
- Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP)
- Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS)
- AHRQ Quality Indicator Tools for Data Analytics
- State Snapshots
- United States Health Information Knowledgebase (USHIK)
- Data Sources Available from AHRQ
Search All Research Studies
AHRQ Research Studies Date
AHRQ Research Studies
Sign up: AHRQ Research Studies Email updates
Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 5 of 5 Research Studies DisplayedTrish E, Joyce G, Goldman DP
Specialty drug spending trends among Medicare and Medicare Advantage enrollees, 2007-11.
The authors analyzed trends in specialty drug spending among Medicare beneficiaries ages sixty-five and older using 2007-11 pharmacy claims data. They found that annual specialty drug spending per beneficiary who used specialty drugs increased considerably during the study period, but specialty drugs accounted for less than ten percent of total drug spending per beneficiary. Additionally, in 2011, cost-sharing reductions under the Affordable Care Act significantly reduced specialty drug users' out-of-pocket burden, which decreased 26 percent from 2010.
AHRQ-funded; HS000046.
Citation: Trish E, Joyce G, Goldman DP .
Specialty drug spending trends among Medicare and Medicare Advantage enrollees, 2007-11.
Health Aff 2014 Nov;33(11):2018-24. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2014.0538.
.
.
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Health Insurance, Medicare, Medication
Schwartz AL, Landon BE, Elshaug AG
Measuring low-value care in Medicare.
To study health care overuse, this study developed claims-based measures of low-value services ranging from low-value cancer screening and preoperative testing to low-value surgical procedures. Services detected by a limited number of measures of low-value care constituted modest proportions of overall spending, but affected substantial proportions of Medicare beneficiaries and may reflect overuse.
AHRQ-funded; HS00055
Citation: Schwartz AL, Landon BE, Elshaug AG .
Measuring low-value care in Medicare.
JAMA Intern Med. 2014 Jul;174(7):1067-76. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.1541..
Keywords: Medicare, Healthcare Costs
Zhang Y, Zhou C, Baik SH
A simple change to the Medicare Part D low-income subsidy program could save $5 billion.
The authors used an intelligent reassignment algorithm and 2008-09 Medicare Part D drug use and spending data to match enrollees to available Part D plans according to their medication needs. They found that such a reassignment approach, compared to the current approach, could have saved the federal government over $5 billion in 2009.
AHRQ-funded; HS018657.
Citation: Zhang Y, Zhou C, Baik SH .
A simple change to the Medicare Part D low-income subsidy program could save $5 billion.
Health Aff 2014 Jun;33(6):940-5. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2013.1083.
.
.
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Low-Income, Medicare, Medication
McGarry BE, Strawderman RL, Li Y
Lower Hispanic participation in Medicare Part D may reflect program barriers.
This study found that Hispanics were 35 percent less likely than non-Hispanic whites to have Medicare Part D coverage. This difference may be driven by ethnic disparities among those eligible for the low-income Part D subsidy but not automatically enrolled in it.
AHRQ-funded; HS00044
Citation: McGarry BE, Strawderman RL, Li Y .
Lower Hispanic participation in Medicare Part D may reflect program barriers.
Health Aff. 2014 May;33(5):856-62. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2013.0671..
Keywords: Medicare, Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Low-Income, Healthcare Costs
Huckfeldt PJ, Sood N, Escarce JJ
Effects of Medicare payment reform: evidence from the home health interim and prospective payment systems.
The researchers contrasted the effects of two Medicare payment reforms for home health agencies: the interim payment system (IPS) and the prospective payment system (PPS). The 1997 IPS reform lowered payments for both fee-for-service and episode-based care, as predicted by their conceptual model. The PPS in 2000 raised average but lowered marginal payment.
AHRQ-funded; HS018541
Citation: Huckfeldt PJ, Sood N, Escarce JJ .
Effects of Medicare payment reform: evidence from the home health interim and prospective payment systems.
J Health Econ. 2014 Mar;34:1-18. doi: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2013.11.005..
Keywords: Medicare, Healthcare Costs, Home Healthcare