Managed Care

Research Findings

Research Activities, September 2012:
Differences in the costs of drugs prescribed lead to regional variation in Medicare Part D drug spending

Research Activities, August 2012:
State Medicaid policy changes increasingly driven by evidence
Medicare managed care reduced preventable hospitalizations in 2004 more than fee-for-service Medicare

Research Activities, June 2012:
Vulnerable populations with heart failure less likely to receive early physician followup after discharge
Dual Veterans Administration/Medicare users are not hospitalized more for ambulatory care sensitive conditions
Large variations in Medicare payments for surgery underscore savings potential from bundled payment programs
Several risk factors point to the use of high-risk medications in older veterans
Study of Medicare beneficiaries validates Medical Expenditure Panel Survey's prescription drug data
Patients recovering from stroke tend to continue using secondary preventive medications

Research Activities, May 2012:
Affordable Care Act likely to create uncertainties in Medicaid enrollment, costs, and physician workforce needs

Research Activities, March 2012:
Medicaid nursing home reimbursement affects nursing homes' approach to end-of-life care

Research Activities, January 2012:
Medicaid pay-for-performance program in Massachusetts fails to improve quality during first-year
Breast cancer is associated with higher health care use and costs for women covered by fee-for-service Medicaid

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Research Activities, December 2011:
Enrollment in Medicare Advantage managed care plans reduces racial/ethnic disparities in primary care quality in some States

Research Activities, October 2011:
Study identifies costs of implementing electronic health records in network of physician practices
Medicare Part D reduces out-of-pocket costs and modestly boosts prescription volume
Women on Medicare with poor chances of living 4 more years often forego screening mammograms

Research Activities, September 2011:
Pay-for-performance project showed early gains but tapered in the fourth and fifth years

Research Activities, August 2011:
When primary care providers apply fluoride varnish, young Medicaid-insured children have fewer cavities

Research Activities, June 2011:
Treatment by physicians with same race and language as the patient may improve medication adherence
Nursing homes more often voluntarily terminate from Medicare and Medicaid programs in States with strong quality regulations

Research Activities, May 2011:
Practice setting, ownership, and specialty all affect volume of charity care provided by physicians
Inhaler costs contribute to medication nonadherence for Medicare patients with chronic pulmonary disease

Research Activities, April 2011:
Various factors influence the adoption of ergonomics in health care organizations
Some adults with disabilities covered by Medicaid have significant out-of-pocket health expenses
Medicare Part D enrollees have higher cost-sharing amounts for brand name prescription drugs than those in employer plans
Payment reform highlighted in special journal issue

Research Activities, March 2011:
When health plans share physicians, they may have less incentive to improve care quality
Medicare-insured patients with head or neck cancer differ little in mortality risk because of race or ethnicity
Preventive dental care saves money on total dental care for Medicare beneficiaries
Landmark initiative to reduce healthcare-associated infections cuts deaths among Medicare patients in Michigan ICUs
Growth in Medicaid patient hospital admissions outpace those for privately insured patients

Research Activities, February 2011:
Emergency departments have increasingly become the health care safety net for adults insured by Medicaid

Research Activities, January 2011:
Treatment for blocked carotid arteries varies depending on where you live
Black Medicare patients less likely than whites to follow their doctor's instructions on taking medicines

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Research Activities, November 2010:
Black and Hispanic Medicare patients with hip fracture wait longer for surgery than white patients
Potentially avoidable hospitalizations high among Medicare and Medicaid patients

Research Activities, October 2010:
Pay-for-performance does not improve care quality in the short term in safety-net settings
Most spending on children's health care in Medicaid and CHIP goes for children with chronic health problems

Research Activities, September 2010:
Blacks with lung cancer have higher mortality rates than whites
Requiring proof of citizenship cuts participation in Oregon's Medicaid family planning program
Early followup with a physician reduces readmissions for Medicare patients hospitalized for heart failure

Research Activities, July 2010:
Implantable heart defibrillator is effective in reducing deaths among older heart failure patients
Hospitalization rates have declined over 5 years for patients with HIV infection, but disparities still exist

Research Activities, June 2010:
Medicaid MCOs don't boost care access for the disabled or lower Medicaid expenditures
Medicare Advantage enrollees are admitted to hospitals with higher mortality rates than Medicare fee-for-service enrollees
For 1 in 10 Medicaid patients, it's back to the hospital in a month

Research Activities, March 2010:
Medicare pays for nearly half of rural hospital stays

Research Activities, February 2010:
Medicare reimbursement changes lessen regional disparities for home health services

Research Activities, January 2010:
Medicare payment caps on home care add to the family caregiving burden, especially among lower-income families
Persons with mental disorders switching from Medicaid to Medicare drug coverage may have drug access problems
Studies examine impact of drug caps and pay for performance on care costs and outcomes

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Research Activities, December 2009:
Women in Michigan who suffer miscarriages may not be receiving patient-centered care

Research Activities, November 2009:
Medicare coverage gap may prompt some patients with diabetes to cut back on their medicines

Research Activities, October 2009:
Women are vulnerable to coverage and care gaps when their husbands transition to Medicare

Research Activities, August 2009:
Medicare claims data identify hospital-acquired catheter-associated urinary tract infections with limited accuracy
Medicare's end-stage renal disease program seems to have reduced outcome disparities among dialysis patients

Research Activities, June 2009:
Medicare beneficiaries with cancer do not frequently use National Cancer Institute Cancer Centers for care
Competition among HMOs may have a negative impact on quality
Recent past performance ratings of HMOs predict good performance in the future
Medicare payments for outpatient prescription drugs jumped by more than $38 billion in 2006

Research Activities, March 2009:
Mandatory public reporting of care performance did not affect quality of care for Medicare managed care patients

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