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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 127 Research Studies DisplayedBerkman ND, Chang E, Seibert J
Characteristics of high-need, high-cost patients : a "best-fit" framework synthesis.
This paper’s objective was to identify characteristics and criteria to distinguish high-need, high-cost (HNHC) patients. Searches of multiple databases and gray literature from 2000 to January 2022 were conducted. The final review included 64 studies comprising multivariate exposure studies (n = 47), cluster analyses (n = 11), and qualitative studies (n = 6). National Academy of Medicine (NAM) taxonomy was used for organizing the synthesis of findings. Patient characteristics associated with being defined as HNHC included number and severity of comorbid conditions and having chronic clinical conditions, particularly heart disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes, cancer, and hypertension. HNHC risk was often amplified by behavioral health conditions and social risk factors. The authors revised the NAM taxonomy to create a final framework, adding chronic pain and prior patterns of high health care use as characteristics associated with an increased risk for being HNHC.
AHRQ-funded; 290201500011I
Citation: Berkman ND, Chang E, Seibert J .
Characteristics of high-need, high-cost patients : a "best-fit" framework synthesis.
Ann Intern Med 2022 Dec;175(12):1728-41. doi: 10.7326/m21-4562..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Delivery
Keita Fakeye MB, Samuel LJ, Wolff JL
Financial contributions and experiences of non-spousal, employed family caregivers.
Investigators examined out-of-pocket spending among employed, retired, and unemployed caregivers. Using data from the 2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) and the National Study of Caregiving, they found that employed caregivers incur more out-of-pocket spending on caregiving than retired and unemployed counterparts. They concluded that caregiving exacerbates economic well-being among employed caregivers, particularly for those with socioeconomic vulnerability.
AHRQ-funded; HS000029.
Citation: Keita Fakeye MB, Samuel LJ, Wolff JL .
Financial contributions and experiences of non-spousal, employed family caregivers.
J Appl Gerontol 2022 Dec;41(12):2459-68. doi: 10.1177/07334648221115261..
Keywords: Elderly, Caregiving, Healthcare Costs
Encinosa W, Nguyen P
AHRQ Author: Encinosa W
Is the recent surge in physician-hospital consolidation finally producing cost-savings?
This article revisits earlier integration studies using IBM MarketScan data 2010–2016 to re-examine the relationship between primary care physicians integrated with hospitals and spending under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) during that period. The authors observe an association between physician-hospital integration and overall cost-savings, a reversal of the relationship noted in earlier studies. They recommend that future research examine the precise mechanism of physician-hospital clinical integration in greater detail.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Encinosa W, Nguyen P .
Is the recent surge in physician-hospital consolidation finally producing cost-savings?
J Gen Intern Med 2022 Dec;37(16):4289-91. doi: 10.1007/s11606-022-07634-x..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Provider: Physician, Hospitals, Primary Care
Sachs RE, Jazowski SA, Gavulic KA
Medicaid and accelerated approval: spending on drugs with and without proven clinical benefits.
The purpose of this article was to assess what level of Medicaid programs' accelerated approval spending is expended on products that have verified clinical benefits versus those that do not. The study found evidence of states’ concerns that pharmaceutical companies frequently do not complete the mandatory post-approval confirmatory studies within the FDA's required timeline. The study also illuminated an issue often overlooked by policy stakeholders: the utilization of surrogate endpoints involved in the post-approval confirmatory studies for most of the sample products. The researchers reported that the detailed nature of their results allowed them to evaluate the impact of different policy recommendations and to inform the current policy debate.
AHRQ-funded; HS026122.
Citation: Sachs RE, Jazowski SA, Gavulic KA .
Medicaid and accelerated approval: spending on drugs with and without proven clinical benefits.
J Health Polit Policy Law 2022 Dec 1;47(6):673-90. doi: 10.1215/03616878-10041107..
Keywords: Medicaid, Medication, Healthcare Costs
Yeung K, Bloudek L, Ding Y
AHRQ Author: Ding Y
Value-based pricing of US prescription drugs: estimated savings using reports from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review.
The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to estimate how annual United States drug spending would change if prices for drugs were set to the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review- (ICER-) reported value-based prices (VBPs). The study included 73 unique drugs, the sum of which accounted for $110.4 billion in annual U.S. drug spending, approximately one-fifth of total U.S. drug spending in 2020. The researchers found that 11 unique drugs had multiple ICER-reported VBPs. 86.3% had observed net prices higher than the VBPs at $100,000 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) and and 72.6%, had $150,000 per QALY thresholds. Applying VBPs at $100,000 per QALY and $150,000 per QALY reduced the median spending per drug by $373 million. The researchers concluded that the reduction in median spending per drug reduction equated to an estimated total annual savings of $11.8 billion to $40.3 billion for the 73 drugs included in the study.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Yeung K, Bloudek L, Ding Y .
Value-based pricing of US prescription drugs: estimated savings using reports from the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review.
JAMA Health Forum 2022 Dec;3(12):e224631. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.4631..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Medication
Scott JW, Scott KW, Moniz M
Financial outcomes after traumatic injury among working-age US adults with commercial insurance.
This cross-sectional study linked insurance claims and consumer credit report data to evaluate the experience of financial distress in commercially insured adults after traumatic injury. Data from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s preferred provider organization insurance claims from 2019 through 2021 were included. The authors identified working-age adults aged 21 to 64 whose January 2021 credit reports occurred more than 6 months after hospital admission for traumatic injury. This cohort of 3164 adults was compared demographically to 2223 patients in the comparison cohort. Relative to the comparison cohort, the post injury cohort had a 23% higher likelihood of having medical debt in collections, a 70% higher amount of medical debt in collections, and a 110% higher bankruptcy rate. For many commercially insured patients, the burden of out-of-pocket costs after hospitalization exceeded their ability to pay and could be associated with bankruptcy risk.
AHRQ-funded; HS028672; HS025465; HS028817.
Citation: Scott JW, Scott KW, Moniz M .
Financial outcomes after traumatic injury among working-age US adults with commercial insurance.
JAMA Health Forum 2022 Nov;3(11):e224105. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.4105..
Keywords: Trauma, Healthcare Costs, Health Insurance
Chovatiya R, Begolka WS, Thibau IJ, R, Begolka WS, Thibau IJ
Impact and associations of atopic dermatitis out-of-pocket health care expenses in the United States.
The purpose of this study was to describe the impact and associations of out of pocket (OOP) health care expenses for atopic dermatitis (AD). The researchers administered a 25-question online survey to 113,502 National Eczema Association members aged 18 years or older. The study found that respondents with monthly OOP expenses over $200 were more likely to have increased AD severity, flares, health care provider visits, prescription polypharmacy, use of step-up therapy, frequent skin infections, and poorer disease control. Respondents with OOP yearly expenditures greater than $1000 had similar associations and additionally increased rates of comorbid asthma, allergic rhinitis, and anxiety/depression. A total of 64.6% of participants reported a harmful household financial impact of OOP expenses. Predictors of harmful impact included severe AD, comorbid asthma, 5 health care provider visits or more in a year, greater than $200 OOP monthly expenditures, and $1000 annual OOP expenditures or more. The study concluded that OOP expenses for AD are associated with increased disease severity and health care utilization and significantly impact household finances.
AHRQ-funded; HS026385.
Citation: Chovatiya R, Begolka WS, Thibau IJ, R, Begolka WS, Thibau IJ .
Impact and associations of atopic dermatitis out-of-pocket health care expenses in the United States.
Dermatitis 2022 Nov-Dec;33(6s):S43-S51. doi: 10.1097/der.0000000000000795..
Keywords: Skin Conditions, Healthcare Costs
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
O'Connell J, Grau L, Goins T
The costs of treating all-cause dementia among American Indians and Alaska native adults who access services through the Indian Health Service and Tribal health programs.
This study analyzed the costs of treatment for all-cause dementia among American Indians and Alaska native (AI/AN) adults who access services through the Indian Health Service (IHS) and Tribal health programs. The authors analyzed fiscal year 2013 IHS/Tribal treatment costs for AI/ANs aged 65 and over with dementia and a matched sample without dementia (n= 1842). Mean total treatment costs for adults with dementia were $5400 higher than for adults without dementia ($13,027 versus $7627). The difference in adjusted total treatment costs was $2943, the majority of which was due to the difference in hospital inpatient costs.
AHRQ-funded; 290200600020I.
Citation: O'Connell J, Grau L, Goins T .
The costs of treating all-cause dementia among American Indians and Alaska native adults who access services through the Indian Health Service and Tribal health programs.
Alzheimers Dement 2022 Nov;18(11):2055-66. doi: 10.1002/alz.12603..
Keywords: Dementia, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Healthcare Costs, Disparities
Williams PH, Gilmartin HM, Leonard C
The influence of the Rural Transitions Nurse Program for veterans on healthcare utilization costs.
This study’s objective was to examine changes from pre- to post-hospitalization in total, inpatient, and outpatient 30-day healthcare utilization costs for Veterans Affairs Healthcare System Rural Transitions Nurse Program (TNP) enrollees compared to controls. Although findings showed no difference in change in total costs between veterans enrolled in TNP and controls, TNP was associated with a smaller increase in direct inpatient medical costs and a larger increase in direct outpatient medical costs, suggesting a shifting of costs from the inpatient to outpatient setting.
AHRQ-funded; HS024569.
Citation: Williams PH, Gilmartin HM, Leonard C .
The influence of the Rural Transitions Nurse Program for veterans on healthcare utilization costs.
J Gen Intern Med 2022 Nov;37(14):3529-34. doi: 10.1007/s11606-022-07401-y..
Keywords: Rural Health, Nursing, Transitions of Care, Healthcare Utilization, Healthcare Costs
Becker NV, Scott JW, Moniz MH
Association of chronic disease with patient financial outcomes among commercially insured adults.
This study examined the association between chronic disease and adverse financial outcomes. The authors used claims data for patients enrolled in a preferred provider organization in Michigan. Patients diagnosed with thirteen common chronic conditions (cancer, congestive heart failure, chronic kidney disease, dementia, depression and anxiety, diabetes, hypertension, ischemic heart disease, liver disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, serious mental illness, stroke, and substance use disorders) were included in the cohort of 2,854,481 adults aged 21 and over. The cohort included 61.4% with no chronic conditions, 17.7% with 1 chronic condition, 14.8% with 2 to 3 chronic conditions, 5.4% with 4 to 6 chronic conditions, and 0.7% with 7 to 13 chronic conditions. Among the cohort, 9.6% had medical debt in collections, 8.3% had nonmedical debt in collections, 16.3% had delinquent debt, 19.3% had a low credit score, and 0.6% had recent bankruptcy. For individuals with 0 vs 7 to 13 chronic conditions, the predicted probabilities of having any medical debt in collections (7.6% vs 32%), any nonmedical debt in collections (7.2% vs 24%), any delinquent debt (14% vs 43%), a low credit score (17% vs 47%) or recent bankruptcy (0.4% vs 1.7%) were all considerably higher for individuals with more chronic conditions and increased with each added chronic condition. Among individuals with medical debt in collections, the estimated amount increased with the number of chronic conditions ($784 for individuals with 0 conditions vs $1252 for individuals with 7-13 conditions).
AHRQ-funded; HS028672.
Citation: Becker NV, Scott JW, Moniz MH .
Association of chronic disease with patient financial outcomes among commercially insured adults.
JAMA Intern Med 2022 Oct;182(10):1044-51. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.3687..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Healthcare Costs, Cancer, Kidney Disease and Health
Glynn A, Hernandez I, Roberts ET
Consequences of forgoing prescription drug subsidies among low-income Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes.
This study’s objective was to estimate the take-up of the Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) among Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes and examine differences in out-of-pocket costs and prescription drug use between LIS enrollees and LIS-eligible non-enrollees. Data from the Health and Retirement Study linked to Medicare administrative data from 2008 to 2016 was used. The authors first estimated LIS take-up stratified by income (≤100% of the Federal Poverty Level [FPL] and >100% to ≤150% of FPL). Second, to assess the consequences of forgoing the LIS among near-poor beneficiaries (incomes >100% to ≤150% of FPL), they conducted propensity score-weighted regression analyses to compare out-of-pocket costs, prescription drug use, and cost-related medication non-adherence among LIS enrollees and LIS-eligible non-enrollees. Among Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes, 68.1% of those considered near-poor (incomes >100% to ≤150% of FPL) received the LIS, compared to 90.3% of those with incomes ≤100% of FPL. Among near-poor beneficiaries, LIS-eligible non-enrollees incurred higher annual out-of-pocket drug spending ($518], filled 7.3 fewer prescriptions for diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia drugs, and were 8.9 percentage points more likely to report skipping drugs due to cost. all compared to LIS enrollees.
AHRQ-funded; HS026727.
Citation: Glynn A, Hernandez I, Roberts ET .
Consequences of forgoing prescription drug subsidies among low-income Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes.
Health Serv Res 2022 Oct;57(5):1136-44. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13990..
Keywords: Medication, Diabetes, Chronic Conditions, Low-Income, Medicare, Healthcare Costs
Tisdale RL, Cusick MM, Aluri KZ
Cost-effectiveness of dapagliflozin for non-diabetic chronic kidney disease.
The purpose of this study was to determine the cost-effectiveness of adding dapagliflozin to standard management of patients with non-diabetic chronic kidney disease (CKD). Findings showed that adding dapagliflozin to standard care improved life expectancy by 2 years, increased discounted quality-adjusted life years, and reduced the total incidence of both kidney failure on kidney replacement therapy (KRT) and average years on KRT over the lifetime of the cohort. Further, dapagliflozin plus standard care was more effective than standard care alone while increasing lifetime costs.
AHRQ-funded; HS026128.
Citation: Tisdale RL, Cusick MM, Aluri KZ .
Cost-effectiveness of dapagliflozin for non-diabetic chronic kidney disease.
J Gen Intern Med 2022 Oct;37(13):3380-87. doi: 10.1007/s11606-021-07311-5..
Keywords: Kidney Disease and Health, Medication, Chronic Conditions, Healthcare Costs
Chovatiya R, Begolka WS, Thibau IJ
Financial burden and impact of atopic dermatitis out-of-pocket healthcare expenses among Black individuals in the United States.
The purpose of this study was to explain the categories and impact of out-of-pocket (OOP) healthcare expenses associated with atopic dermatitis (AD) management among black individuals. The researchers administered a voluntary online survey to 113, 502 members of the National Eczema Association. 77.3% of respondents met the participation criteria of being U.S. residents, 18 years of age and older, and self-reporting that they had AD or were the primary caregivers of individuals with AD. The study found that Blacks (74.2%) vs. non-Blacks (63.3%) reported more OOP costs for prescription medications covered (65.1%) and not covered (46.5%), by insurance, emergency room visits (22.1% vs. 11.8%), and outpatient laboratory testing (33.3% vs. 21.8%,). There was a relationship between Black race and increased household financial impact from OOP expenses, and predictors of financial impact included minimally controlled AD, systemic therapy, greater than $200 monthly OOP expenses, and Medicaid. Blacks with Medicaid had greater odds of harmful financial impact than those of black race or with Medicaid alone. The researchers concluded that there is a relationship between Black race increased OOP costs for AD, with significant financial impact to the household.
AHRQ-funded; HS026385.
Citation: Chovatiya R, Begolka WS, Thibau IJ .
Financial burden and impact of atopic dermatitis out-of-pocket healthcare expenses among Black individuals in the United States.
Arch Dermatol Res 2022 Oct;314(8):739-47. doi: 10.1007/s00403-021-02282-3..
Keywords: Skin Conditions, Healthcare Costs, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Kim N, Jacobson M
Comparison of catastrophic out-of-pocket medical expenditure among older adults in the United States and South Korea: what affects the apparent difference?
In the United States seniors aged 65 and older have Medicare and almost-universal coverage, and in South Korea all residents have national health insurance. The purpose of this study was to compare catastrophic out-of-pocket medical spending (defined as out-of-pocket medical spending over the past two years that exceeded 50% of household income) among adults 65 and older in the United States with the same senior-aged population in South Korea. The study found that the proportion of participants with catastrophic out-of-pocket medical expenditures was 5.8% in the US and 3.0% in South Korea. The researchers concluded that exposure to that level of expenditures was significantly higher in the US than South Korea, with the difference attributed to unobservable system level factors rather than observable sociodemographic characteristics.
AHRQ-funded; HS026488.
Citation: Kim N, Jacobson M .
Comparison of catastrophic out-of-pocket medical expenditure among older adults in the United States and South Korea: what affects the apparent difference?
BMC Health Serv Res 2022 Sep 26;22(1):1202. doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-08575-1..
Keywords: Elderly, Healthcare Costs, Access to Care, Low-Income
Donohue JM, Cole ES, James CV
The US Medicaid program: coverage, financing, reforms, and implications for health equity.
This article is a literature review of the Medicaid program focusing on Medicaid eligibility, enrollment, and spending and examined areas of Medicaid policy, including managed care, payment, and delivery system reforms; Medicaid expansion; racial and ethnic health disparities; and the potential to achieve health equity. The authors included peer-reviewed articles and reports published between January 2003 and February 2022. Medicaid covered approximately 80.6 million people per month in 2022, representing 16.3% of US health spending. Managed care plans run by states enrolled 69.5% of Medicaid beneficiaries in 2019 and adopted 139 delivery system reforms from 2003 to 2019. Over half (56.4%) of Medicaid beneficiaries were from racial and ethnic minority groups in 2019, and disparities in access, quality, and outcomes are common among these groups within Medicaid. The authors felt that additional Medicaid reforms are needed to reduce health disparities by race and ethnicity and to achieve equity in access, quality, and outcomes.
AHRQ-funded; HS026727.
Citation: Donohue JM, Cole ES, James CV .
The US Medicaid program: coverage, financing, reforms, and implications for health equity.
JAMA 2022 Sep 20;328(11):1085-99. doi: 10.1001/jama.2022.14791..
Keywords: Medicaid, Healthcare Costs, Policy, Health Insurance
Kim KD, Funk RJ, Hou H
Association between care fragmentation and total spending after durable left ventricular device implant: a mediation analysis of health care-associated infections within a national Medicare-Society of Thoracic Surgeons INTERMACS linked dataset.
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between care fragmentation and total spending for durable left ventricular assisted device (LVAD) implant, and whether this relationship is mediated by infections. The researchers developed a measure of care fragmentation based on the number of shared medical professionals providing care to 4,987 Medicare beneficiaries undergoing LVAD implantation. The study found that the indirect effect of care fragmentation, through infections, was positive and statistically significant. The researchers concluded that higher care fragmentation associated with durable LVAD implantation is related with a greater incidence of infections and higher Medicare beneficiary payments.
AHRQ-funded; HS026003.
Citation: Kim KD, Funk RJ, Hou H .
Association between care fragmentation and total spending after durable left ventricular device implant: a mediation analysis of health care-associated infections within a national Medicare-Society of Thoracic Surgeons INTERMACS linked dataset.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2022 Sep;15(9):e008592. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.121.008592..
Keywords: Heart Disease and Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), Medicare, Medical Devices, Healthcare Delivery
Oronce CIA, Arbanas JC, Leng M
Estimated wasteful spending on aducanumab dispensing in the U.S. Medicare population: a cross-sectional analysis.
The purpose of this study was to quantify the amount of aducanumab that is discarded because of vial dose size and calculate the potential Medicare savings that could be created by changing the vial size and drug weight to make dispensing more efficient and reduce the amount of discarded drug. The researchers calculated estimates for the monthly amount of discarded drug for each study participant, and then annualized the estimates. Costs were calculated using the 300 mg vial price, which is the larger of the two vial sizes currently available, and calculations were then made for simulated vials in three combinations (100 and 170 mg; 170 and 250mg; and 80mg, 170, and 300 mg.) Costs for each combination were then calculated. The study found that assuming a 10% drug uptake, the equivalent of between 132,398 and 694,258 vials of aducanumab would be discarded costing Medicare between $115.4 million and $604.9
million each year. If the 300 mg/3.0 ml vial was reduced to 100 mg/1.0 ml, Medicare savings would range between $70.9 and $369.0 million per year. The researchers concluded that reducing aducanumab vial size could decrease wasteful spending from discarded vials by over 60%.
million each year. If the 300 mg/3.0 ml vial was reduced to 100 mg/1.0 ml, Medicare savings would range between $70.9 and $369.0 million per year. The researchers concluded that reducing aducanumab vial size could decrease wasteful spending from discarded vials by over 60%.
AHRQ-funded; HS026498.
Citation: Oronce CIA, Arbanas JC, Leng M .
Estimated wasteful spending on aducanumab dispensing in the U.S. Medicare population: a cross-sectional analysis.
J Am Geriatr Soc 2022 Sep;70(9):2714-18. doi: 10.1111/jgs.17891..
Keywords: Medicare, Healthcare Costs, Medication
Encinosa W, Lane K, Cornelio N
AHRQ Author: Encinosa W
How state surprise billing protections increased ED visits, 2007-2018: potential implications for the No Surprises Act.
This article discusses the 2022 No Surprises Act whose goal was to prevent patients from receiving unexpected emergency department (ED) out-of-network physician bills and restrict out-of-network co-payments to in-network co-payment levels. Similar state bans were examined to determine whether the large reduction in out-of-pocket payments under bans will have an unintended consequence of an increase in ED visits and spending. The authors examined 16 million nonelderly, fully funded, privately insured health maintenance organization (HMO) enrollees between 2007 and 2018 from 15 states with balance billing bans for HMO ED visits and 16 states without bans as the control group. They found that the bans reduced spending per visit by 14% but spurred a demand response with an increase of 3 percentage points in ED visits which wiped away the cost savings. The authors predict that the federal ban will result in $5.1 billion in savings but 3.5 million more ED visits at $4.2 billion in extra spending per year, largely negating expected savings.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; HS027698.
Citation: Encinosa W, Lane K, Cornelio N .
How state surprise billing protections increased ED visits, 2007-2018: potential implications for the No Surprises Act.
Am J Manag Care 2022 Sep;28(9):e333-e38. doi: 10.37765/ajmc.2022.89226..
Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Emergency Department, Policy, Healthcare Utilization
Robinson LA, Eber MR, Hammitt JK
Valuing COVID-19 morbidity risk reductions.
The authors described and implemented an approach for approximating the value of averting nonfatal illnesses or injuries and applied it to COVID-19 in the United States. They estimated gains from averting COVID-19 morbidity of about 0.01 quality-adjusted life year (QALY) per mild case averted, 0.02 QALY per severe case, and 3.15 QALYs per critical case. They indicated that these gains translate into monetary values of about $5,300 per mild case, $11,000 per severe case, and $1.8 million per critical case.
AHRQ-funded; HS000055.
Citation: Robinson LA, Eber MR, Hammitt JK .
Valuing COVID-19 morbidity risk reductions.
J Benefit Cost Anal 2022 Summer;13(2):247-68. doi: 10.1017/bca.2022.11.
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Keywords: COVID-19, Risk, Healthcare Costs
Wu A, Ugiliweneza B, Wang D
Trends and outcomes of early and late palliative care consultation for adult patients with glioblastoma: a seer-Medicare retrospective study.
This study investigates differences in palliative care (PC) timing on outcomes for patients with glioblastoma (GBM) using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Medicare data. Findings showed that, despite an overall increase in PC consultations, only a minority of GBM patients receive PC. Patients with late PC had the longest survival times and had greater hospice use in the last month of life compared to other subgroups.
AHRQ-funded; HS028747.
Citation: Wu A, Ugiliweneza B, Wang D .
Trends and outcomes of early and late palliative care consultation for adult patients with glioblastoma: a seer-Medicare retrospective study.
Neurooncol Pract 2022 Aug;9(4):299-309. doi: 10.1093/nop/npac026.
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Keywords: Palliative Care, Cancer, Quality of Life, Healthcare Costs
Pickens G, Smith MW, McDermott KW
Trends in treatment costs of U.S. emergency department visits.
In recent years, emergency department (ED) spending has been increasing more than in other areas of health care. Few studies have focused on changes in ED treatment costs. The purpose of this study was to analyze recent increases in emergency department treatment costs to highlight possibilities for reducing the growth of overall hospital costs. The researchers used data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) and applied Cost-to-Charge Ratios for ED Files to the HCUP Nationwide Emergency Department Sample for 2012 through 2019. The study found that ED treatment costs experienced a 5.4% annual growth rate, increasing from $54 billion to $88 billion, with higher treatment cost per visit responsible for 4.4 of those percentage points. The researchers concluded that the study provides valuable information for decision- and policy-makers by bringing attention to components of the healthcare delivery system with the highest increasing costs as well as trends in overall ED costs.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 290201800001C.
Citation: Pickens G, Smith MW, McDermott KW .
Trends in treatment costs of U.S. emergency department visits.
Am J Emerg Med 2022 Aug;58:89-94. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2022.05.035..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Healthcare Costs, Emergency Department
Mohr NM, Schuette AR, Ullrich F
An economic and health outcome evaluation of telehealth in rural sepsis care: a comparative effectiveness study.
The purpose of this study will be to assess the impact of provider-focused video telehealth in rural hospital emergency departments (ED) on costs and long-term outcomes for patients with sepsis. Using Medicare administrative claims, the researchers will compare telehealth-subscribing hospitals and control hospitals to assess the differences in total health care expenditures, category-specific costs, length of stay, readmissions, and mortality. The researchers intend for the study results to demonstrate the association between telehealth utilization and sepsis care total expenditures.
AHRQ-funded; HS025753.
Citation: Mohr NM, Schuette AR, Ullrich F .
An economic and health outcome evaluation of telehealth in rural sepsis care: a comparative effectiveness study.
J Comp Eff Res 2022 Jul;11(10):703-16. doi: 10.2217/cer-2022-0019..
Keywords: Telehealth, Health Information Technology (HIT), Sepsis, Rural Health, Healthcare Costs
Haque W, Ahmadzada M, Janumpally S
Adherence to a federal hospital price transparency rule and associated financial and marketplace factors.
This research letter describes a study that evaluated adherence to the federal Hospital Price Transparency Rule 6 to 9 months after the final rule effective date (January 1, 2021). The rule’s aim is to increase health price transparency and facilitation patient price shopping online. Hospitals were required to post 5 price types: gross charges, discounted prices, payer-specific negotiated prices, minimum and maximum prices in a machine-readable file, and a separate accessible display or price estimator for at least 300 shoppable items. The authors used the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI) to measure inpatient hospital market concentration. The data was collected for 185 of 929 core-based statistical areas from 2019. HHI is divided into the following categories: unconcentrated, moderately concentrated, or highly or very concentrated. Results showed that out of 5239 total hospitals, 729 (13.9%) had an adherent machine-readable file but no shoppable display, 1542 (29.4%) had an adherent shoppable display but no machine-readable file, and 300 (5.7%) had both. The most adherent hospitals tended to be acute care hospitals with lesser revenue per patient-day, within unconcentrated health care markets, and in urban areas.
AHRQ-funded; HS026980.
Citation: Haque W, Ahmadzada M, Janumpally S .
Adherence to a federal hospital price transparency rule and associated financial and marketplace factors.
JAMA 2022 Jun 7;327(21):2143-45. doi: 10.1001/jama.2022.5363..
Keywords: Policy, Hospitals, Healthcare Costs
Jazowski SA, Wilson L, Dusetzina SB
Association of high-deductible health plan enrollment with spending on and use of lenalidomide therapy among commercially insured patients with multiple myeloma.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between High-deductible health plan (HDHP) enrollment with out-of-pocket spending and uptake of and adherence to lenalidomide anti-cancer therapy. The researchers found that among the highest spenders (95th percentile), HDHP enrollees paid $376 and $217 more for their first and any lenalidomide prescription fill, respectively, compared with non-HDHP enrollees in the 6 months after initiation. High-deductible health plan enrollment was also associated with an increased risk of paying more than $100 for the initial lenalidomide prescription fill. The study concluded that enrollment in HDHP was associated with higher out-of-pocket spending per lenalidomide prescription fill; however, no statistically significant differences in adherence patterns between HDHP and non-HDHP enrollees were observed.
AHRQ-funded; HS026122.
Citation: Jazowski SA, Wilson L, Dusetzina SB .
Association of high-deductible health plan enrollment with spending on and use of lenalidomide therapy among commercially insured patients with multiple myeloma.
JAMA Netw Open 2022 Jun;5(6):e2215720. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.15720..
Keywords: Health Insurance, Healthcare Costs, Cancer