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.
Results
1 to 14 of 14 Research Studies DisplayedEncinosa WE
AHRQ Author: Encinosa WE
Is it time for ACOs to start tackling the high costs of surgery?
This article discusses an article appearing in the same issue revisiting the impact of Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) accountable care organizations (ACOs) on surgery expenditures. The author suggests that, in order to engage even more surgeons, it is likely that MSSP ACOs will have to work with surgeons in the various Medicare bundled payment programs for surgery. He concludes that the next stage is to examine how these different programs can work together to produce even more savings in surgical care.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Encinosa WE .
Is it time for ACOs to start tackling the high costs of surgery?
Am J Accountable Care 2020 Sep 15;8(3):26-27..
Keywords: Surgery, Healthcare Costs, Medicaid, Health Insurance, Payment
Cliff BQ, Hirth RA, Mark Fendrick A
Spillover effects from a consumer-based intervention to increase high-value preventive care.
Increasing the use of high-value medical services and reducing the use of services with little or no clinical value are key goals for efficient health systems. Yet encouraging the use of high-value services may unintentionally affect the use of low-value services. In this study, the investigators examined the likelihood of high- and low-value service use in the first two years after an insurance benefit change in 2011 for one state's employees that promoted use of high-value preventive services.
AHRQ-funded; HS025614.
Citation: Cliff BQ, Hirth RA, Mark Fendrick A .
Spillover effects from a consumer-based intervention to increase high-value preventive care.
Health Aff 2019 Mar;38(3):448-55. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05015..
Keywords: Health Insurance, Prevention
Bradley CJ, Neumark D, Walker LS
The effect of primary care visits on other health care utilization: a randomized controlled trial of cash incentives offered to low income, uninsured adults in Virginia.
Investigators recruited low-income uninsured adults in Virginia to determine whether cash incentives would encourage primary care provider (PCP) visits as opposed to going to the hospital emergency room. This randomized, controlled trial determined that PCP visits did increase but no reductions in overall costs occurred there was an offset from increased outpatient utilization.
AHRQ-funded; HS022534.
Citation: Bradley CJ, Neumark D, Walker LS .
The effect of primary care visits on other health care utilization: a randomized controlled trial of cash incentives offered to low income, uninsured adults in Virginia.
J Health Econ 2018 Nov;62:121-33. doi: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2018.07.006..
Keywords: Healthcare Utilization, Health Insurance, Low-Income, Primary Care, Uninsured, Vulnerable Populations
Whaley CM, Brown TT
Firm responses to targeted consumer incentives: evidence from reference pricing for surgical services.
This study examined how health care providers respond to a reference pricing insurance program that increases consumer cost sharing when they chose high-priced surgical providers. Geographic variation was used to estimate supply-side responses. Limited evidence of market segmentation and price reductions for providers with baseline prices above the reference price was found. However, 75% of the reduction in provider prices benefited a population that was not subject to the program.
AHRQ-funded; HS022098.
Citation: Whaley CM, Brown TT .
Firm responses to targeted consumer incentives: evidence from reference pricing for surgical services.
J Health Econ 2018 Sep;61:111-33. doi: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2018.06.012..
Keywords: Health Insurance, Surgery, Payment, Healthcare Costs
Ndumele CD, Schpero WL, Trivedi AN
Medicaid expansion and health plan quality in Medicaid managed care.
The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of the 2014 Medicaid expansion on Medicaid managed care plan quality. The study concluded that Medicaid expansion increased enrollment in managed care plans, but it did not result in erosion of quality.
AHRQ-funded; HS017589.
Citation: Ndumele CD, Schpero WL, Trivedi AN .
Medicaid expansion and health plan quality in Medicaid managed care.
Health Serv Res 2018 Aug;53 Suppl 1:2821-38. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12814..
Keywords: Policy, Health Services Research (HSR), Health Insurance, Medicaid
Silber JH, Zeigler AE, Reiter JG
Using appendicitis to improve estimates of childhood Medicaid participation rates.
This study introduces appendectomy-based participation (ABP) to estimate statewide Medicaid/Children's Health Insurance Program participation rates using claims by taking advantage of a natural experiment around statewide appendicitis admissions to improve the accuracy of participation rate estimates. The study concluded that using the ABP rate derived from Medicaid Analytic eXtract (MAX) administrative claims is a valid method to estimate statewide public insurance participation rates in children.
AHRQ-funded; HS023258; HS021112.
Citation: Silber JH, Zeigler AE, Reiter JG .
Using appendicitis to improve estimates of childhood Medicaid participation rates.
Acad Pediatr 2018 Jul;18(5):593-600. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2018.03.008..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Health Insurance, Medicaid
Soni A, Sabik LM, Simon K
Changes in insurance coverage among cancer patients under the Affordable Care Act.
Uninsurance among patients with newly diagnosed cancer fell by one-third in the ACA’s first year. Coverage gains were significant across numerous common cancers, multiple demographic groups, and early-stage and late-stage disease. Large gains among Hispanic individuals were consistent with findings of other ACA studies and may indicate narrowing disparities.
AHRQ-funded; HS021291.
Citation: Soni A, Sabik LM, Simon K .
Changes in insurance coverage among cancer patients under the Affordable Care Act.
JAMA Oncol 2018 Jan;4(1):122-24. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2017.3176.
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Keywords: Cancer, Health Insurance, Policy, Uninsured
Carey K, Dor A
http://www.healthfinancejournal.com/index.php/johcf/article/view/114
Price variations and their trends in U.S. hospitals.
This study tracked trends in prices paid to hospitals by commercial insurers over the period 2008 to 2014 using private sector claims data that contain actual payments. It contrasted these with trends in the CMS published charges. Results indicated that variation in actual commercially-transacted prices is substantially lower than variation in published charges.
AHRQ-funded; HS023610.
Citation: Carey K, Dor A .
Price variations and their trends in U.S. hospitals.
J Health Care Finance 2017 Sum;44(1).
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Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Payment, Health Insurance, Hospitals
Chrisinger BW, Grossestreuer AV, Laguna MC
Characteristics of automated external defibrillator coverage in Philadelphia, PA, based on land use and estimated risk.
The authors investigated how well the likelihood of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest was met by the supply of automated external defibrillators (AED) in a dense urban environment. This article offers one method by which local officials can use spatial data to prioritize attention for AED placement and coverage.
AHRQ-funded; HS018362.
Citation: Chrisinger BW, Grossestreuer AV, Laguna MC .
Characteristics of automated external defibrillator coverage in Philadelphia, PA, based on land use and estimated risk.
Resuscitation 2016 Dec;109:9-15. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2016.09.021.
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Keywords: Medical Devices, Health Insurance, Urban Health, Cardiovascular Conditions
Friedman AS, Schpero WL, Busch SH
Evidence suggests that the ACA's tobacco surcharges reduced insurance take-up and did not increase smoking cessation.
The authors examined the effect of tobacco surcharges on insurance status and smoking cessation in the first year of the health insurance exchanges' implementation, among adults most likely to purchase insurance from them. Their findings suggest that tobacco surcharges conflicted with a major goal of the Affordable Care Act - increased financial protection - without increasing smoking cessation.
AHRQ-funded; HS017589.
Citation: Friedman AS, Schpero WL, Busch SH .
Evidence suggests that the ACA's tobacco surcharges reduced insurance take-up and did not increase smoking cessation.
Health Aff 2016 Jul;35(7):1176-83. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2015.1540.
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Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Health Insurance, Policy
Frean M, Shelder S, Rosenthal MB
Health reform and coverage changes among Native Americans.
This study evaluated changes in insurance and Indian Health Service (IHS) coverage among Native Americans following the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) implementation. It concluded that the ACA was associated with significant coverage increases for Native Americans, primarily in Medicaid expansion states, consistent with national trends for all racial/ethnic groups. Nationally, much of the coverage increase occurred among Native Americans without connections to IHS.
AHRQ-funded; HS021291.
Citation: Frean M, Shelder S, Rosenthal MB .
Health reform and coverage changes among Native Americans.
JAMA Intern Med 2016 Jun;176(6):858-60. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.1695.
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Keywords: Policy, Health Insurance, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Brown TT, Robinson JC
Reference pricing with endogenous or exogenous payment limits: impacts on insurer and consumer spending.
The authors extended reference pricing (RP) models to a hospital context focusing on insurer and consumer payments. They found that, for 2 years following RP implementation, insurer payments to high-price and low-price hospitals moved downward, consistent with endogenous RP. When the reference price was not reset to account for changes in market prices, insurer payments to low-price hospitals reverted to pre-implementation levels, consistent with exogenous RP.
AHRQ-funded; HS022098.
Citation: Brown TT, Robinson JC .
Reference pricing with endogenous or exogenous payment limits: impacts on insurer and consumer spending.
Health Econ 2016 Jun;25(6):740-9. doi: 10.1002/hec.3181.
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Keywords: Payment, Healthcare Costs, Health Insurance, Hospitals
Luft HS
Policy-oriented research on improved physician incentives for higher value health care.
Policy makers (both public and private) are seeking ways to improve the value delivered within our health care system. To inform such policy changes, this paper identifies areas in which little is known about the effects of specific incentives (FFS, salary, etc.) on the two components of value: resource use and quality. Specific suggestions are offered focusing on fundamental "building block" studies.
AHRQ-funded.
Citation: Luft HS .
Policy-oriented research on improved physician incentives for higher value health care.
Health Serv Res 2015 Dec;50 Suppl 2:2187-215. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12423.
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Keywords: Policy, Health Insurance, Payment, Health Services Research (HSR)
Starner CI, Alexander GC, Bowen K
Specialty drug coupons lower out-of-pocket costs and may improve adherence at the risk of increasing premiums.
The investigators examined insurers' role in maintaining the affordability and accessibility of specialty drugs while maximizing their value. They found that drug coupons accounted for $21.2 million of patients' $35.3 million annual out-of-pocket costs. In the vast majority of cases, coupons reduced monthly cost sharing to less than $250, a point at which patients were far less likely to abandon therapy with biologic anti-inflammatory drugs or with drugs for multiple sclerosis. They highlighted that, by reducing cost sharing, coupons may also circumvent efforts to encourage patients to use the most cost-effective drugs.
AHRQ-funded; HS018960.
Citation: Starner CI, Alexander GC, Bowen K .
Specialty drug coupons lower out-of-pocket costs and may improve adherence at the risk of increasing premiums.
Health Aff 2014 Oct;33(10):1761-9. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2014.0497.
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Keywords: Healthcare Costs, Health Insurance, Medication, Patient Adherence/Compliance