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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 13 of 13 Research Studies DisplayedCaram MEV, Oerline MK, Dusetzina S
Adherence and out-of-pocket costs among Medicare beneficiaries who are prescribed oral targeted therapies for advanced prostate cancer.
The authors investigated coping and material measures of the financial hardship of abiraterone and enzalutamide among patients with advanced prostate cancer with Medicare Part D coverage. They found substantial variations in the adherence rate and out-of-pocket payments, with sociodemographic patient and regional factors found to be associated with both aspects.
AHRQ-funded; HS025707.
Citation: Caram MEV, Oerline MK, Dusetzina S .
Adherence and out-of-pocket costs among Medicare beneficiaries who are prescribed oral targeted therapies for advanced prostate cancer.
Cancer 2020 Dec 1;126(23):5050-59. doi: 10.1002/cncr.33176..
Keywords: Patient Adherence/Compliance, Medicare, Cancer: Prostate Cancer, Cancer, Medication, Healthcare Costs
Hambley BC, Anderson KE, Shanbhag SP
Payment incentives and the use of higher-cost drugs: a retrospective cohort analysis of intravenous iron in the Medicare population.
Researchers examined prescribing patterns in the context of intravenous (IV) iron, for which multiple similarly safe and efficacious formulations exist, with wide variations in price. Using Medicare data, they found an increase in the dispensing of a higher-priced IV iron formulation associated with a shortage of a less expensive drug that persisted once the shortage ended. They concluded that their findings in IV iron have broader implications for Part B drug payment policy because the price of the drug determines the physician and health system payment.
AHRQ-funded; HS000029.
Citation: Hambley BC, Anderson KE, Shanbhag SP .
Payment incentives and the use of higher-cost drugs: a retrospective cohort analysis of intravenous iron in the Medicare population.
Am J Manag Care 2020 Dec;26(12):516-22. doi: 10.37765/ajmc.2020.88539..
Keywords: Elderly, Medication, Medicare, Payment, Healthcare Costs, Practice Patterns
Dickert NW, Mitchell AR, Venechuk GE
Show me the money: patients' perspectives on a decision aid for sacubitril/valsartan addressing out-of-pocket cost.
This study reported patients' perspectives on a decision aid for sacubitril/valsartan that explicitly addressed out-of-pocket costs. Findings indicated that patients were receptive to the inclusion of out-of-pocket cost as relevant in a decision aid for sacubitril/valsartan. Key challenges to effective integration of cost in these decisions included developing mechanisms for acquiring reliable patient-specific cost estimates and addressing patients' difficulties applying trial evidence to their own situation.
AHRQ-funded; HS026081.
Citation: Dickert NW, Mitchell AR, Venechuk GE .
Show me the money: patients' perspectives on a decision aid for sacubitril/valsartan addressing out-of-pocket cost.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2020 Dec;13(12):e007070. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.120.007070..
Keywords: Shared Decision Making, Medication, Healthcare Costs
Hill SC, Miller GE, Ding Y
AHRQ Author: Hill SC, Miller GE, Ding Y
Net spending on retail specialty drugs grew rapidly, especially for private insurance and Medicare Part D.
This study examined net spending trends on retail specialty drugs from 2010 to 2017. Spending has been difficult to measure due to proprietary rebate payments by manufacturers by insurers, pharmacy benefit managers and state Medicaid agencies. The authors incorporated those rebates into their research. They found that specialty drugs accounted for 37.7% of retail and mail-order prescription spending net of rebates in 2016-17. The spending net of rebates tripled for Medicare Part D beneficiaries and more than doubled for people with private insurance from 2010 to 2017. Medicaid net spending of rebates had a slower increase.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Hill SC, Miller GE, Ding Y .
Net spending on retail specialty drugs grew rapidly, especially for private insurance and Medicare Part D.
Health Aff 2020 Nov;39(11):1970-76. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2019.01830..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Healthcare Costs, Medication, Medicare, Health Insurance
Nguyen JT, Cole AL, Leech AA
Cost-effectiveness of first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy initiation strategies for chronic myeloid leukemia.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032.
Citation: Nguyen JT, Cole AL, Leech AA .
Cost-effectiveness of first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy initiation strategies for chronic myeloid leukemia.
Value Health 2020 Oct;23(10):1292-99. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2020.05.019..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Medication, Healthcare Costs, Treatments
Rosenbloom J, Lewkowitz A, Sondgeroth K
Antenatal corticosteroid administration in late-preterm gestations: a cost-effectiveness analysis.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether administration of antenatal late-preterm betamethasone was cost-effective in the immediate neonatal period. Cost-effectiveness analysis of late-preterm betamethasone administration with a time horizon of 7.5 days was conducted using a health-system perspective The investigators concluded that administration of betamethasone in the late-preterm period was likely not cost-effective in the short-term.
AHRQ-funded; HS022330.
Citation: Rosenbloom J, Lewkowitz A, Sondgeroth K .
Antenatal corticosteroid administration in late-preterm gestations: a cost-effectiveness analysis.
J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2020 Jun;33(12):2109-15. doi: 10.1080/14767058.2018.1540582..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Newborns/Infants, Pregnancy, Respiratory Conditions, Medication, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Utilization
Flory JH, Mushlin AI
Effect of cost and formulation on persistence and adherence to initial metformin therapy for type 2 diabetes.
This paper studied whether persistence and adherence to initial release (IR) metformin was at the same levels as extended release (ER) metform for adults with type 2 diabetes. A study was conducted using merged de-identified claims data from commercial insurance carriers in the US from 2012 to 2016. The cohort used was identified as patients aged 18 years or older who filled an initial 30-day prescription for metformin monotherapy with a baseline type 2 diabetes diagnosis, at least 1 year of baseline and follow-up data, and no prior antidiabetes drug use. “Persistence” was defined as at least one metformin prescription claim during the 6-12 month window after the initial prescription. “Adherence” was defined as the percentage of days for which the patient had filled sufficient prescriptions to be taking it “as prescribed”. The final study population was 81,406 patients, with 78% having commercial insurance, 19% Medicare Advantage, and 2.5% were dual-eligible for Medicare and Medicare. Persistence was slightly higher for ER metformin than for IR metformin, as was adherence and adequate adherence (80% or more). Despite the slightly higher cost, initial use of ER metformin was associated with better adherence.
AHRQ-funded; HS023898.
Citation: Flory JH, Mushlin AI .
Effect of cost and formulation on persistence and adherence to initial metformin therapy for type 2 diabetes.
Diabetes Care 2020 Jun;43(6):e66-e67. doi: 10.2337/dc19-2426..
Keywords: Diabetes, Chronic Conditions, Healthcare Costs, Medication, Patient Adherence/Compliance
Cole AL, Wood WA, Muluneh B
Comparative safety and health care expenditures among patients with chronic myeloid leukemia initiating first-line imatinib, dasatinib, or nilotinib.
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have dramatically improved survival for patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). No overall survival differences were observed between patients initiating first- and second-generation TKIs in trials; however, real-world safety and cost outcomes are unclear. In this study, the investigators evaluated comparative safety and health care expenditures between first-line imatinib, dasatinib, and nilotinib among patients with CML.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032.
Citation: Cole AL, Wood WA, Muluneh B .
Comparative safety and health care expenditures among patients with chronic myeloid leukemia initiating first-line imatinib, dasatinib, or nilotinib.
JCO Oncol Pract 2020 May;16(5):e443-e55. doi: 10.1200/jop.19.00301..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Healthcare Costs, Medication
Socal MP, Anderson KE, Sen A
Biosimilar uptake in Medicare Part B varied across hospital outpatient departments and physician practices: the case of filgrastim.
The purpose of this study was to examine the uptake of filgrastim-sndz (Zarxio), the first biosimilar to launch in the United States, in the Medicare Part B fee-for-service program from its launch in September 2015 to December 2017 and compare characteristics of patients and facilities that used filgrastim-sndz or originator filgrastim (Neupogen). The investigators concluded that uptake of biosimilar filgrastim in the Medicare Part B program occurred despite multiple challenges to the adoption of biosimilars in the US market, suggesting that substantial potential savings could be generated by improving biosimilar uptake.
AHRQ-funded; HS000029.
Citation: Socal MP, Anderson KE, Sen A .
Biosimilar uptake in Medicare Part B varied across hospital outpatient departments and physician practices: the case of filgrastim.
Value Health 2020 Apr;23(4):481-86. doi: 10.1016/j.jval.2019.12.007..
Keywords: Medicare, Practice Patterns, Medication, Healthcare Costs
Tseng CW, Masuda C, Chen R
Impact of higher insulin prices on out-of-pocket costs in Medicare Part D.
In this study, the investigators examined how patients’ out-of-pocket costs for insulin would have dropped from 2014 to 2019 due to Part D policy changes and whether higher insulin prices offset these potential savings. The authors concluded that efforts to reduce patients’
out-of-pocket cost by closing the Medicare Part D coverage gap were largely negated by higher insulin prices.
out-of-pocket cost by closing the Medicare Part D coverage gap were largely negated by higher insulin prices.
AHRQ-funded; HS024227.
Citation: Tseng CW, Masuda C, Chen R .
Impact of higher insulin prices on out-of-pocket costs in Medicare Part D.
Diabetes Care 2020 Apr;43(4):e50-e51. doi: 10.2337/dc19-1294..
Keywords: Medication, Healthcare Costs, Medicare, Health Insurance, Policy
Reynolds EL, JF JF, Banerjee M
Association of out-of-pocket costs on adherence to common neurologic medications.
The objective of this training was to determine the association between out-of-pocket costs and medication adherence in 3 common neurologic diseases. The investigators concluded that higher out-of-pocket costs were associated with lower medication adherence in 3 common neurologic conditions. The investigators also observed racial/ethnic disparities and recommended that minority populations receive additional focus in future intervention efforts to improve adherence.
AHRQ-funded; HS017690; HS022258.
Citation: Reynolds EL, JF JF, Banerjee M .
Association of out-of-pocket costs on adherence to common neurologic medications.
Neurology 2020 Mar 31;94(13):e1415-e26. doi: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000009039..
Keywords: Medication, Healthcare Costs, Patient Adherence/Compliance, Neurological Disorders, Dementia
Shaker M, Briggs A, Dbouk A
Estimation of health and economic benefits of clinic versus home administration of omalizumab and mepolizumab.
Biologic therapy is a paradigm-shifting management strategy for many patients with asthma and chronic urticaria, but concerns for therapy-associated anaphylaxis may limit access to these therapies for patients unable to travel to medical clinics. The objective of this study was to characterize the cost-effectiveness of in-clinic versus at-home biologic therapy with omalizumab and mepolizumab.
AHRQ-funded; HS024599.
Citation: Shaker M, Briggs A, Dbouk A .
Estimation of health and economic benefits of clinic versus home administration of omalizumab and mepolizumab.
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract 2020 Feb;8(2):565-72. doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2019.09.037..
Keywords: Medication, Healthcare Costs, Asthma, Respiratory Conditions, Chronic Conditions
Wickwire EM, Vadlamani A, Tom SE
Economic aspects of insomnia medication treatment among Medicare beneficiaries.
The purpose of this study was to examine economic aspects of insomnia and insomnia medication treatment among a nationally representative sample of older adult Medicare beneficiaries. A total of 23,079 beneficiaries with insomnia were included. Of these, 5,154 (22%) received >1 fills for an FDA-approved insomnia medication following insomnia diagnosis. For both treated and untreated individuals, healthcare utilization and costs increased during the 12 months prior to diagnosis. Insomnia treatment was associated with significantly increased ED visits and prescription fills in the year following insomnia diagnosis.
AHRQ-funded; HS024560.
Citation: Wickwire EM, Vadlamani A, Tom SE .
Economic aspects of insomnia medication treatment among Medicare beneficiaries.
Sleep 2020 Jan;43(1):pii: zsz192. doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsz192..
Keywords: Medication, Sleep Problems, Medicare, Healthcare Costs