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Kajihara Y. Short-term trends in gastric cancer incidence after insurance coverage expansion for Helicobacter pylori eradication in Japan. Eur J Intern Med 2024:S0953-6205(24)00170-5. [PMID: 38653632 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejim.2024.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Yusaku Kajihara
- Department of Gastroenterology, Fuyoukai Murakami Hospital, 3-3-14 Hamada, Aomori 030-0843, Japan.
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Kwon Y, Roberts ET, Degenholtz HB, Jacobs BL, Sabik LM. Association of Medicare eligibility with access to and affordability of care among older cancer survivors. J Cancer Surviv 2024:10.1007/s11764-024-01562-x. [PMID: 38520599 DOI: 10.1007/s11764-024-01562-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Older cancer survivors have substantial needs for ongoing care, but they may encounter difficulties accessing care due to cost concerns. We examined whether near-universal insurance coverage through Medicare-a key source of health insurance coverage in this population-is associated with improvements in care access and affordability among older cancer survivors around age 65. METHODS In a nationally representative sample of cancer survivors (aged 50-80) from 2006-2018 National Health Interview Survey, we employed a quasi-experimental, regression discontinuity design to estimate changes in insurance coverage, delayed/skipped care due to cost, and worries about or problems paying medical bills at age 65. RESULTS Medicare coverage sharply increased from 8.3% at age 64 to 98.2% at age 65, ensuring near-universal insurance coverage (99.5%). Medicare eligibility at age 65 was associated with reductions in delayed/skipped care due to cost (discontinuity, - 5.7 percentage points or pp; 95% CI, - 8.1, - 3.3; P < .001), worries about paying for medical bills (- 7.7 pp; 95% CI, - 12.0, - 3.2; P = .001), and problems paying medical bills (- 3.2 pp; 95% CI, - 6.1, - 0.2; P = .036). However, a sizable proportion reported any access or affordability problems (29.7%) between ages 66 and 80. CONCLUSIONS Near-universal Medicare coverage at age 65 was associated with a reduction-but not elimination-of access and affordability problems among cancer survivors. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS These findings reaffirm the role of Medicare in improving access and affordability for older cancer survivor and highlight opportunities for reforms to further alleviate financial burden of care in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngmin Kwon
- Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Pittsburgh, School of Public Health, A610 Public Health, 130 De Soto Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA.
| | - Eric T Roberts
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Howard B Degenholtz
- Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Pittsburgh, School of Public Health, A610 Public Health, 130 De Soto Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
| | - Bruce L Jacobs
- Department of Urology, Division of Health Services Research, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, 3471 Fifth Ave, Suite 801, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Lindsay M Sabik
- Department of Health Policy and Management, University of Pittsburgh, School of Public Health, A610 Public Health, 130 De Soto Street, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
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Jung H, Kim SR, Cho SI, Jo SJ. Reduced economic disparity in biologics use for psoriasis after introducing the reducing copayment program. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4139. [PMID: 38374130 PMCID: PMC10876659 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54447-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Biologics for psoriasis are efficient and safe, but very expensive. We investigated the association of the reducing copayment program (RCP) with changes in biologics use patterns depending on the income levels of patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. This nationwide cohort study included patients identified as having moderate-to-severe psoriasis between 2014 and 2020. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio for the use of biologics according to income levels. Among 57,139 patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis, 3464 (6.1%) used biologics for psoriasis from 2014 to 2020. After the introduction of RCP in 2017, the proportion of patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis using biologics rapidly increased from 5.0% in 2016 to 19.2% in 2020; the increase was more remarkable in patients with the lowest or mid-low income compared to those with Medical Aid. Drug survival of biologics was higher in patients with the highest income before the RCP, but became comparable between those with high and low incomes after RCP introduction. The introduction of RCP was associated with an increased use of biologics in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis of all income levels; however, the effect was more pronounced in low-income patients. The RCP may contribute to alleviating the disparity in access to biologics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyemin Jung
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Education and Human Resource Developement, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Seong Rae Kim
- Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | - Seong Jin Jo
- Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
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Kaddas HK, Millar MM, Herget KA, Carter ME, Ofori-Atta BS, Edwards SL, Codden RR, Sweeney C, Kirchhoff AC. Material financial hardship and insurance-related experiences among Utah's rural and urban cancer survivors. J Cancer Surviv 2024:10.1007/s11764-024-01546-x. [PMID: 38340250 DOI: 10.1007/s11764-024-01546-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Describe material financial hardship (e.g., using savings, credit card debt), insurance, and access to care experienced by Utah cancer survivors; investigate urban-rural differences in financial hardship. METHODS Cancer survivors were surveyed from 2018 to 2021 about their experiences with financial hardship, access to healthcare, and job lock (insurance preventing employment changes). Weighed percentage responses, univariable and multivariable logistic regression models for these outcomes compared differences in survivors living in rural and urban areas based on Rural-Urban Commuting Area Codes. RESULTS The N = 1793 participants were predominantly Non-Hispanic White, female, and 65 or older at time of survey. More urban than rural survivors had a college degree (39.8% vs. 31.0%, p = 0.04). Overall, 35% of survivors experienced ≥ 1 financial hardship. In adjusted analyses, no differences were observed between urban and rural survivors for: material financial hardship, the overall amount of hardship reported, insurance status at survey, access to healthcare, or job lock. Hispanic rural survivors were less likely to report financial hardship than Hispanic urban survivors (odds ratio (OR) = 0.24, 95%CI = 0.08-0.73)). Rural survivors who received chemo/immune therapy as their only treatment were more likely to report at least one instance of financial hardship than urban survivors (OR = 2.72, 95%CI = 1.08-6.86). CONCLUSIONS The relationship between rurality and financial hardship among survivors may be most burdensome for patients whose treatments require travel or specialty medication access. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS The impact of living rurally on financial difficulties after cancer diagnoses is complex. Features of rurality that may alter financial difficulty after a cancer diagnosis may vary geographically and instead of considering rurality as a stand-alone factor, these features should be investigated independently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heydon K Kaddas
- Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, 2000 Circle of Hope, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA.
| | - Morgan M Millar
- Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, 2000 Circle of Hope, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Utah Cancer Registry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | | | | | | | - Sandra L Edwards
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Rachel R Codden
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Utah Cancer Registry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Carol Sweeney
- Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, 2000 Circle of Hope, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
- Utah Cancer Registry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Anne C Kirchhoff
- Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Huntsman Cancer Institute, 2000 Circle of Hope, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
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Floyd KJ, Wossenseged F, Buscetta AJ, Fasaye GA, Bonham VL. Views of adults living with sickle cell disease on the theoretical return of secondary genomic findings. Genet Med 2024; 26:100993. [PMID: 37811899 PMCID: PMC10859184 DOI: 10.1016/j.gim.2023.100993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Although the body of research investigating research participants' opinions on the return of actionable secondary genomic findings grows, there has been limited study of individuals with genetic conditions, such as sickle cell disease (SCD). It is imperative that the views of diverse research participants on return of results (RoR) be investigated and rooted in the context of advancing health equity in genomics research. METHODS We conducted qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 30 adults living with SCD with differing insurance coverages and utilized a directed content analysis to derive themes. RESULTS Study findings show that living with SCD is a key influence on views of RoR. Participants were in favor of RoR while expressing concern regarding the burden RoR would place on their SCD management. Respondents also expressed an expectation for researchers to devote resources toward seeking ancillary care downstream and discussed how barriers faced when navigating SCD would inform their access to ancillary care. CONCLUSION Research participants living with chronic genetic conditions such as SCD are generally in favor of RoR but anticipate experiencing barriers to care similar to those faced navigating their SCD. Understanding the views of diverse cohorts on RoR will help researchers better understand downstream barriers participants may face.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Jameson Floyd
- Health Disparities Unit, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Faeben Wossenseged
- Health Disparities Unit, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Ashley J Buscetta
- Health Disparities Unit, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Grace-Ann Fasaye
- Center for Cancer Research, Genetics Branch, National Cancer Institute. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Vence L Bonham
- Health Disparities Unit, Social and Behavioral Research Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
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Takahashi M. Insurance coverage, long-term care utilization, and health outcomes. Eur J Health Econ 2023; 24:1383-1397. [PMID: 36472777 DOI: 10.1007/s10198-022-01550-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
How does the generosity of social insurance coverage affect the demand for healthcare and health outcomes of elderly people? This paper presents an examination of the effects of insurance coverage on long-term care (LTC) utilization and its health consequences using administrative data of the public long-term care insurance (LTCI) system in Japan. In LTCI, a recipient's health score determines their insurance coverage limit, and thresholds of the score generate discontinuous changes in the level of coverage limits. I implement a regression discontinuity design and find that coverage expansion increases recipients' LTC utilization considerably irrespective of their health status. When more generous insurance coverage is available, recipients with low care needs increase day care and rehabilitation services, whereas those with high care needs increase home care services. Moreover, using more LTC has little effect on health outcomes such as the health score and the entry into nursing homes. Together, these results suggest that generous LTCI coverage can induce excessive LTC utilization without having health benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Takahashi
- Hitotsubashi Institute for Advanced Study, Hitotsubashi University, 2-1 Naka, Kunitachi, Tokyo, 186-8601, Japan.
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Hong JB, Lange KS, Fitzek M, Overeem LH, Triller P, Siebert A, Reuter U, Raffaelli B. Impact of a reimbursement policy change on treatment with erenumab in migraine - a real-world experience from Germany. J Headache Pain 2023; 24:144. [PMID: 37899428 PMCID: PMC10614330 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-023-01682-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) pathway are safe and effective treatments for migraine prevention. However, the high cost of these novel therapies has led to reimbursement policies requiring patients to try multiple traditional preventives before access. In Germany, a recent change in insurance policy significantly expanded coverage for the CGRP receptor mAb erenumab, enabling migraine patients who failed just one prior prophylactic medication to receive this mAb. Here, we compare the clinical response to treatment with erenumab in migraine patients treated using the old and new coverage policy. METHODS In this retrospective cohort study, we included CGRP-mAb naïve patients with episodic or chronic migraine, who started erenumab at our headache center according to either the old or the new insurance policy and received at least 3 consecutive injections. Headache diaries and electronic documentation were used to evaluate reductions in monthly headache and migraine days (MHD and MMD) and ≥ 50% and ≥ 30% responder rates at month 3 (weeks 9-12) of treatment. RESULTS We included 146 patients who received erenumab according to the old policy and 63 patients that were treated using the new policy. At weeks 9-12 of treatment, 37.7% of the old policy group had a 50% or greater reduction in MHD, compared to 63.5% of the new policy group (P < 0.001). Mean reduction in MHD was 5.02 days (SD = 5.46) and 6.67 days (SD = 5.32, P = 0.045) in the old and new policy cohort, respectively. After propensity score matching, the marginal effect of the new policy on treatment outcome was 2.29 days (standard error, SE: 0.715, P = 0.001) more reduction in MHD, and 30.1% (SE: 10.6%, P = 0.005) increase in ≥ 50% response rate for MHD. CONCLUSIONS Starting erenumab earlier in the course of migraine progression in a real-world setting may lead to a better response than starting after multiple failed prophylactic attempts. Continually gathering real-world evidence may help policymakers in deciding how readily to cover CGRP-targeted therapies in migraine prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ja Bin Hong
- Department of Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Mira Fitzek
- Department of Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Paul Triller
- Department of Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anke Siebert
- Department of Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Uwe Reuter
- Department of Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Universitätsmedizin Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Bianca Raffaelli
- Department of Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Clinician Scientist Program, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité, Berlin, Germany.
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Alvarez AH, Valentine L, Stearns S, Foppiani J, Weidman AA, Lee BT, Lin SJ. A National Analysis of Socioeconomic Variables of Access to Inpatient Body Contouring Procedures After Bariatric Surgery. Obes Surg 2023; 33:2428-2433. [PMID: 37326906 DOI: 10.1007/s11695-023-06683-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Weight loss following bariatric surgery often results in excess skin, which has led to a population of patients seeking body contouring surgery (BCS). This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of patients who underwent BCS following bariatric surgery using the national inpatient sample (NIS) database and to assess the demographic and socioeconomic variables of this cohort. METHODS NIS database was queried from 2016 to 2019 using ICD-10 codes to identify patients that underwent bariatric surgery procedures. Patients who subsequently underwent BCS were compared to those who did not. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with receipt of BCS. RESULTS A total of 263,481 patients that underwent bariatric surgery were identified. Of those, 1777 (0.76%) patients underwent subsequent inpatient BCS. Being female was associated with greater odds of undergoing body contouring (OR 1.28 95% CI 1.13-1.46, p = 0.0001). Patients who underwent BCS were more likely to have their procedure performed in large and government-controlled hospitals than bariatric surgery-only patients (55% vs. 50%, p < 0.0001, and 11% vs. 9.4%, respectively). Higher-income did not impose higher odds of receiving BCS compared to lowest income quartile (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.86-1.16, p = 0.99066). Lastly, compared to Medicare holders, self-payers (OR 3.5, 95% CI 2.83-4.30, p < 0.0001) or private insurance (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.09-1.40, p = 0.001) had greater odds of undergoing BCS. CONCLUSIONS There is a gap in access to BCS procedures, with cost and insurance coverage being the principal barriers. Developing policies that allow for holistic evaluation of patients is crucial to improve access to these procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelica Hernandez Alvarez
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 110 Francis Street Suite 5A, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
- Department of General Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 110 Francis Street Suite 5A, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
| | - Lauren Valentine
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 110 Francis Street Suite 5A, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Stephen Stearns
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 110 Francis Street Suite 5A, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Jose Foppiani
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 110 Francis Street Suite 5A, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Allan A Weidman
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 110 Francis Street Suite 5A, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Bernard T Lee
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 110 Francis Street Suite 5A, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Samuel J Lin
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 110 Francis Street Suite 5A, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
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Brant A, Weinstein IC, Lewicki P, Zhu A, Johnson JP, Sze C, Shoag JE. Insurer coverage of prostate cancer biomarkers. Urol Oncol 2023; 41:324.e9-324.e12. [PMID: 37225635 DOI: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2023.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Several recently-developed prostate cancer (CaP) biomarkers are recommended per national guidelines, yet feasibility of obtaining these tests is unknown. We used a national database to assess insurance coverage of CaP biomarkers. MATERIALS AND METHODS Insurance policies regarding 4K Score, ExoDx, My Prostate Score, Prostate Cancer Antigen 3, Prostate Health Index, and SelectMDx as of January 1, 2022 were extracted from the policy reporter database. Coverage was defined as a biomarker being deemed medically necessary, conditionally covered, or covered with prior authorization. Overall rates of biomarker coverage were compared by insurance type and region using Chi-squared test. SelectMDx was not covered by any queried policies and was omitted from analysis. RESULTS A total of 186 insurance plans were identified among 131 payers. Of the 186 plans, 109 (59%) covered at least one biomarker, with prior authorization required for 38 (35%) of these plans. Prostate Cancer Antigen 3 and 4K Score had higher rates of coverage compared to ExoDx, Prostate Health Index, and My Prostate Score (52% and 43% vs. 26%, 26%, and 5%, respectively, P < 0.01). Medicare plans had higher rates of coverage compared to non-Medicare plans (80% Medicare vs. 17% commercial, 15% federal employer, and 13% Medicaid, P < 0.01), and nationwide plans had higher coverage rates compared to regional plans (43% nationwide vs. 32% midwest, 27% northeast, 25% south, 24% west, P < 0.01). Covered biomarkers under Medicare plans were less likely to require prior authorization compared to those covered by non-Medicare plans (12% Medicare vs. 63% commercial, 100% federal employer, 70% Medicaid, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Coverage of novel CaP biomarkers are relatively robust for Medicare plans but sparse for non-Medicare plans, with the majority of non-Medicare plans requiring prior authorization. Non-Medicare eligible men may face significant barriers to obtaining these tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Brant
- Department of Urology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY.
| | - Ilon C Weinstein
- Department of Urology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH
| | - Patrick Lewicki
- Department of Urology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
| | - Alec Zhu
- Department of Urology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
| | - Jeffrey P Johnson
- Department of Urology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
| | - Christina Sze
- Department of Urology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
| | - Jonathan E Shoag
- Department of Urology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH
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Kamat S, Kogut S, Buchanan AL, Vyas A. Evaluation of the association between health insurance status and healthcare utilization and expenditures among adult cancer survivors in the United States. Res Social Adm Pharm 2023; 19:821-9. [PMID: 36842898 DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2023.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health care expenditures for cancer care has increased significantly over the past decade and is further projected to rise. This study examined the associations between health insurance status and total direct health care expenditures and health care utilization among cancer survivors living in the United States. METHODS A cross-sectional study of cancer survivors aged ≥18 years, identified from the Medical Expenditures Panel Survey (MEPS) during 2017 using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes specific for cancer. Health insurance was categorized into Private, Medicare, Medicaid, and uninsured. Multivariable ordinary least squares regression was used to examine the association between log expenditures and health insurance. Negative binomial regression with log link was used to obtain adjusted incident rate ratios (AIRR) for health care utilization. Survey weights were used to produce nationally representative estimates of the US population. RESULTS A total of 1140 (weighted = 13.9 million) cancer survivors were identified. Compared to the adjusted mean annual health care expenditures for the private group ($14,265; 95% confidence interval (CI): $12,645 to $16,092), the adjusted mean annual health care expenditures for the Medicare group were higher ($15,112; 95%CI: $13,361 to $17,092). As compared to the private group, the average annual expenditures for uninsured cancer survivors ($2315; 95%CI:1038 to $3501) was significantly lower and so was their health care utilization. Adjusted rates of ER visits for Medicaid were twice (AIRR:2.04; SE:0.28; p = 0.001) as compared to privately insured. CONCLUSIONS A difference in the average total direct expenditures between uninsured and privately insured patients was found. Uninsured had the lowest health care utilization while Medicaid reported significantly higher number of ER visits. Despite differences in program structures, health care expenditures across insurance types were similar. Lower utilization of health care services among uninsured suggests cost maybe a barrier to accessing care.
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Isazadehfar K, Salamati P, Zafarghandi MR, Rahimi-Movaghar V, Khormali M, Baigi V. Insurance status and traumatized patients' outcomes: a report from the national trauma registry of Iran. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23:392. [PMID: 37095520 PMCID: PMC10124013 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-09369-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trauma care is one of the most expensive medical procedures that is significantly affected by factors like insurance status. Providing medical care to injured patients has a significant impact on patients' prognosis. This study examined whether insurance status was associated with different outcomes, including hospital length of stay (HLOS), mortality, and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission. METHODS This prospective study analyzed the data of traumatized patients who had been registered in the National Trauma Registry of Iran (NTRI), and hospitalized at Sina Hospital, Tehran, Iran, from March 22, 2016, to February 8, 2021. Given the type of insurance, the insured patients were classified as basic, road traffic, and foreign nationality. The outcomes of in-hospital death, ICU admission, and HLOS between insured and uninsured patients, and then different insurance statuses, were compared using regression models. RESULT A total of 5014 patients were included in the study. 49% of patients (n = 2458) had road traffic insurance, 35.2% (n = 1766) basic insurance, 10.5% (n = 528) were uninsured, and 5.2% (n = 262) had foreign nationality insurance. The mean age of patients with basic, road traffic insurance, foreign nationality, and uninsured patients was 45.2 (SD = 22.3), 37.8 (SD = 15.8), 27.8 (SD = 13.3), and 32.4 (SD = 11.9) years, respectively. There was a statistically significant association between insurance status and mean age. Based on these results, the mean age of patients with basic insurance was higher than other groups (p < 0.001). Additionally, 85.6% of the patients were male, with male to female ratio of 9.64 in road traffic insurance, 2.99 in basic insurance, 14.4 in foreign nationality, and 16 in uninsured patients. There was no statistically significant difference between in-hospital mortality in insured and uninsured patients, 98 (2.3%) vs. 12 (2.3%), respectively. The odds of in-hospital mortality in uninsured patients were 1.04 times the odds of in-hospital death in insured patients [Crude OR: 1.04, 95%CI: 0.58 to 1.90]. Multiple logistic regression showed that after adjusting for age, sex, ISS, and Cause of trauma, the odds of in-hospital death in uninsured patients were 2.97 times the odds of in-hospital death in insured patients [adjusted OR: 2.97, 95%CI: 1.43 to 6.21]. CONCLUSION This study shows that having insurance can change the ICU admission, death, and HLOS in traumatized patients. The results of this study can provide essential data for national health policy for minimizing the disparities among different insurance statuses and proper use of medical resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khatereh Isazadehfar
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center (SDH), Medical Faculty, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Payman Salamati
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Vafa Rahimi-Movaghar
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Moein Khormali
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Vali Baigi
- Sina Trauma and Surgery Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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12
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Iwamoto A, Summers KM, Mancuso AC. Public opinions regarding infertility treatment insurance coverage among marginalized patient populations. J Assist Reprod Genet 2023; 40:589-598. [PMID: 36602655 PMCID: PMC10033767 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-022-02687-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To assess public support for insurance coverage of infertility treatment among marginalized patient groups. METHODS A cross-sectional, web survey-based study using a national sample of 1226 US adults. Participants responded to questions measuring their beliefs and attitudes towards support for infertility treatment insurance coverage among specific patient populations. We then evaluated the opinions of only the participants who supported infertility treatment insurance coverage for patients meeting the standard definition of infertility. Associations between demographic data of participants and support for infertility treatment insurance coverage among these marginalized groups were queried. RESULTS Of the total responses, 61.9% of the respondents generally supported insurance coverage for infertility. Of the total responses, 54.5% did not support any insurance coverage for lesbian, gay, or transgender patients. Of those who generally supported the insurance coverage for infertility, 53.0% supported coverage for gay patients requiring infertility services, 54.6% supported coverage for lesbian patients, and 42.5% supported coverage for transgender patients. Of the total responses, 47.6% did not support insurance for green card holders, undocumented immigrants, or refugees. Of those who supported the insurance coverage for infertility in general, 63.6% supported insurance coverage for patients with green cards, 29.8% for refugees, and 20.7% for undocumented patients. For disability and genetic conditions, 39.5% did not support coverage for any groups. Of those who support the insurance coverage for infertility in general, there was most support for patients with physical disabilities (60.2%) followed by genetic disease (47.9%), then mental disabilities (31.4%). CONCLUSION Even among those who support insurance coverage for infertility in general, approximately less than half of them supported these same treatments for marginalized groups, including the diverse sexuality and gender (DSG), immigrant, and disabled populations. Increased education and awareness of infertility is needed among the general population to garner acceptance of infertility as a disease and support insurance coverage of infertility treatment for all persons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya Iwamoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Dr, Iowa City, IA, 52241, USA.
| | - Karen M Summers
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Dr, Iowa City, IA, 52241, USA
| | - Abigail C Mancuso
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Dr, Iowa City, IA, 52241, USA
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13
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LaRusso M, Gallego-Pérez DF, Abadía-Barrero CE. Untimely care: How the modern logics of coverage and medicine compromise children's health and development. Soc Sci Med 2023; 319:114962. [PMID: 35584978 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
How do families manage when health care systems do not "cover" and clinicians do not acknowledge their children's condition? This article presents an ethnographic study in the Northeastern region of the United States with 20 families with children diagnosed with Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS)/Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS). Two of the 20 families had moved to the U.S. seeking care. The for-profit structure of the U.S. health care system resulted in costly and lengthy therapeutic journeys to access a diagnosis and adequate treatments. In the U.S., PANS/PANDAS coverage depends on legislation, advocacy, clinical characteristics of each child, and how for-profit insurance companies react to an increased demand for a given service. Many medical professionals, both in the U.S. and in other countries, refuse to acknowledge the condition or offer effective treatments that lack "acceptable" evidence. We argue that the financial logic behind coverage exists across modern health care systems and imposes restrictions and exclusions that impede access to care. Thus, untimely care, the time gap from PANS/PANDAS symptoms to diagnosis and treatment is the result of the modern logics that structure medicine and coverage. The results of this study illustrate how modern medicine and coverage fail to protect families with children with PANS/PANDAS against catastrophic expenses and often block care that would prevent developmental disruptions and losses, avoid much suffering, and even save costs to health care systems. New and controversial conditions like PANS/PANDAS highlight the importance of separating the financial logics behind proposals such as "universal health coverage" from the provision of comprehensive forms of care that acknowledge uncertainty and prioritize action and flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria LaRusso
- Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Connecticut, USA
| | - Daniel F Gallego-Pérez
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, USA
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14
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Everett EM, Wright D, Williams A, Divers J, Pihoker C, Liese AD, Bellatorre A, Kahkoska AR, Bell R, Mendoza J, Mayer-Davis E, Wisk LE. A Longitudinal View of Disparities in Insulin Pump Use Among Youth with Type 1 Diabetes: The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study. Diabetes Technol Ther 2023; 25:131-139. [PMID: 36475821 PMCID: PMC9894603 DOI: 10.1089/dia.2022.0340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate changes in insulin pump use over two decades in a national U.S. sample. Research Design and Methods: We used data from the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study to perform a serial cross-sectional analysis to evaluate changes in insulin pump use in participants <20 years old with type 1 diabetes by race/ethnicity and markers of socioeconomic status across four time periods between 2001 and 2019. Multivariable generalized estimating equations were used to assess insulin pump use. Temporal changes by subgroup were assessed through interactions. Results: Insulin pump use increased from 31.7% to 58.8%, but the disparities seen in pump use persisted and were unchanged across subgroups over time. Odds ratio for insulin pump use in Hispanic (0.57, confidence interval [95% CI] 0.45-0.73), Black (0.28, 95% CI 0.22-0.37), and Other race (0.49, 95% CI 0.32-0.76) participants were significantly lower than White participants. Those with ≤high school degree (0.39, 95% CI 0.31-0.47) and some college (0.68, 95% CI 0.58-0.79) had lower use compared to those with ≥bachelor's degree. Those with public insurance (0.84, 95% CI 0.70-1.00) had lower use than those with private insurance. Those with an annual household income <$25K (0.43, 95% CI 0.35-0.53), $25K-$49K (0.52, 95% CI 0.43-0.63), and $50K-$74K (0.79, 95% CI 0.66-0.94) had lower use compared to those with income ≥$75,000. Conclusion: Over the past two decades, there was no improvement in the racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic inequities in insulin pump use, despite an overall increase in use. Studies that evaluate barriers or test interventions to improve technology access are needed to address these persistent inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estelle M. Everett
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, & Metabolism, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles. California, USA
- Division of General Internal Medicine & Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles. California, USA
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles. California, USA
| | - Davene Wright
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Jasmin Divers
- Division of Health Services Research, Department of Foundations of Medicine, New York University Long Island School of Medicine, Mineola, New York, USA
| | - Catherine Pihoker
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Angela D. Liese
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA
| | - Anna Bellatorre
- University of Colorado Denver Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes Center, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Anna R. Kahkoska
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ronny Bell
- Department of Social Sciences and Health Policy, Division of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jason Mendoza
- Cancer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Elizabeth Mayer-Davis
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Lauren E. Wisk
- Division of General Internal Medicine & Health Services Research, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles. California, USA
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles. California, USA
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15
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Snowden LR, Wallace N, Graaf G. Subsidized Marketplace Purchases Reduced Racial Disparities in Private Coverage Under the Affordable Care Act. J Racial Ethn Health Disparities 2023; 10:141-148. [PMID: 35032008 PMCID: PMC8760123 DOI: 10.1007/s40615-021-01204-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The Affordable Care Act's Marketplaces, by allowing subsidized purchase of insurance coverage by persons with incomes from the poverty line to middle income, and through active outreach and enrollment assistance efforts, are well situated to reduce large African American-white private coverage disparities. Using data from the National Health Interview Survey for multiyear periods before and after Affordable Care Act implementation, from 2011-2013 to 2015-2018, this study assessed how much disparity reduction occurred when Marketplaces were implemented. Analysis compared private coverage take-up by African Americans and whites for persons with incomes between 100 and 400% of the Federal Poverty Line (FPL), controlling for African American-white income differences and other covariates. African Americans' gains were significantly greater than whites' and disparities did close. However, both groups gained considerably less coverage than they might have, and some disparity remained. To make ongoing operations more effective and to guide future subsidy extensions and increases as enacted in the American Rescue Plan, more research is needed into the incentive value of subsidies and to discover which Marketplace outreach and enrollment assistance efforts were most effective. In advancing these aims, high priority should be given to identifying strategies that were particularly successful in reaching and engaging uninsured African Americans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lonnie R Snowden
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 2121 Berkeley Way, Room 5302, Berkeley, CA, 94720-7360, USA
| | - Neal Wallace
- OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, Portland State University, 1805 SW 4th Ave 523E, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Genevieve Graaf
- School of Social Work, University of Texas, Arlington, 211 S. Cooper St., Arlington, TX, 76017, USA.
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16
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Pickett B, Shin TR, Norton M. Utilizing clinical pharmacists and a medication assistance program to improve medication access for indigent and underserved patients in primary care. Explor Res Clin Soc Pharm 2022; 9:100211. [PMID: 36582998 PMCID: PMC9793302 DOI: 10.1016/j.rcsop.2022.100211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Medication Assistance Programs (MAP) provide needed medications to uninsured and underinsured patients. In 2019, 24% of adults had difficulty affording their medications. Literature has shown enrollment in MAP decreased emergency department (ED) visits, hospital admission, and total hospital cost. Objectives Primary objective described cost savings of MAP in patients identified by pharmacists. Secondary objectives included comparing rates one year before and after MAP utilization for hospitalization, ED visits, and combined hospitalization and ED visits. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of pharmacists in improving medication access. Methods A retrospective observational cohort was conducted in primary care and family medicine resident clinics. Inclusion criteria included one or more visits with a pharmacist and MAP application between January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019. The primary objective and demographics were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Secondary objectives were analyzed using paired t-test. Results In total, 18 patients saved $187,789, with an average of $10,432 per patient, for 35 medications. There were no statistically significant differences in average hospitalizations, ED visits, and combined hospitalizations and ED visits. Conclusions Pharmacists utilizing MAP resulted in cost savings and increased patient access to medications. The study did not find differences in hospital visits, ED visits, or combined hospital and ED visits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brianna Pickett
- Brodstone Memorial Hospital/Cardinal Health Innovative Delivery Solutions, 520 E. 10th St. Superior, NE 68978, United States of America,University of Kansas-Wichita School of Pharmacy, 1010 N Kansas Bldg 92, Suite 2331, Wichita, KS 67214, United States of America,Ascension Via Christi Hospitals, 1100 N St. Francis, Suite 220, Wichita, KS 67214, United States of America,Corresponding author at: Brodstone Memorial Hospital/Cardinal Health Innovative Delivery Solutions, 520 E. 10th St. Superior, NE 68978, United States of America.
| | - Tiffany R. Shin
- University of Kansas-Wichita School of Pharmacy, 1010 N Kansas Bldg 92, Suite 2331, Wichita, KS 67214, United States of America
| | - Melissa Norton
- Ascension Via Christi Hospitals, 1100 N St. Francis, Suite 220, Wichita, KS 67214, United States of America
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Gomez-Rexrode AE, Chhabra KR, Telem DA, Chao GF. Variation in pre-operative insurance requirements for bariatric surgery. Surg Endosc 2022; 36:8358-8363. [PMID: 35513536 DOI: 10.1007/s00464-022-09293-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND For patients who wish to undergo bariatric surgery, variation in pre-operative insurance requirements may represent inequity across insurance plan types. We conducted a cross-sectional assessment of the variation in pre-operative insurance requirements. METHODS Original insurance policy documents for pre-operative requirements were obtained from bariatric surgery programs across the entire USA and online insurance portals. Insurance programs analyzed include commercial, Medicaid, and Medicare/TriCare plans. Poisson regression adjusting for U.S. Census region was used to evaluate variation in pre-operative requirements. Analyses were done at the insurance plan level. Our primary outcome was number of requirements required by each plan by insurance type. Our secondary outcome was number of months required to participate in medically supervised weight loss (MSWL). RESULTS Among 43 insurance plans reviewed, representing commercial (60.5%), Medicaid (25.6%), and Medicare/TriCare (14.0%) plans, the number of pre-operative requirements ranged from 1 to 8. Adjusted Poisson regression showed significant variation in pre-operative requirements across plan types with Medicaid-insured patients required to fulfill the greatest number (4.1, 95%CI 2.7 to 5.4) compared to 2.7 (95%CI 2.2 to 3.2, P = 0.028) for commercially insured patients and 2.1 (95%CI 1.1 to 3.1, P = 0.047) for Medicare/TriCare-insured patients. Medicaid-insured patients were also required to complete a greater number of months in MSWL (6.6, 95%CI 5.5 to 7.6) compared to commercially (3.8, 95%CI 2.9 to 4.8, P < .001) and Medicare/TriCare-insured patients (1.7, 95%CI 0.3 to 3.0, P = .001). CONCLUSION The greater frequency of pre-operative requirements in Medicaid plans compared to Medicare/TriCare and commercial plans demonstrates inequity across insurance types which may negatively impact access to bariatric surgery. Pre-operative insurance requirements must be reevaluated and standardized using established evidence to ensure all individuals have access to this life-saving intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Karan R Chhabra
- Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Dana A Telem
- Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Grace F Chao
- Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Veterans Affairs, National Clinician Scholars Program, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, PO Box 208062, New Haven, CT, 06520, USA.
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18
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Finkelstein ER, Ha M, Hanwright P, McGlone K, Ngaage LM, Yoon JS, Liang F, Nam AJ, Rasko YM. A critical analysis of American insurance coverage for imaging and surgical treatment of lymphedema. J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord 2022; 10:1367-75. [PMID: 35963504 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvsv.2022.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Revised: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over 35 million Americans have lymphedema. Nonetheless, lymphedema is underdiagnosed and undertreated worldwide. We investigated whether the rates of coverage for imaging and surgical procedures may contribute to the limited care provided for lymphedema. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional evaluation of 58 insurers, chosen based on state enrollment and market share. A web-based search or phone call determined whether a publicly available policy on lymphedema-specific imaging, physiological procedures, and excisional procedures was available. Coverage status and corresponding criteria were extracted. RESULTS Of the two-thirds of insurers who included a policy on imaging, 4% (n = 2) provided coverage and 4% (n = 2) specified coverage only on a case-by-case basis. Forty-eight percent (n = 28) of insurers had a statement of coverage on lymphovenous bypass or vascularized lymph node transfer, in which reimbursement was almost universally denied (96%, n = 26; 93%, n = 26). Liposuction and debulking procedures were included in 25 (43%) and 13 (22%) policies, in which seven (28%) and four (31%) insurers would provide coverage, with over 75% having criteria. Coverage of liposuction was significantly more than for lymphovenous bypass (P < .04). CONCLUSIONS Nearly one-half of American insurers do not have a publicly available policy on most imaging, physiological, or excisional procedures, leaving coverage status ambiguous. Reimbursement was uncommon for imaging and physiological procedures, whereas the majority of insurers who did offer coverage for excisional procedures also had multiple criteria to be met. These elements may together be a limiting factor in receiving appropriate care for lymphedema.
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19
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Jung HW, Kwon YD, Noh JW. How public and private health insurance coverage mitigates catastrophic health expenditures in Republic of Korea. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:1042. [PMID: 35971176 PMCID: PMC9377807 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-08405-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The private health insurance (PHI) market in Republic of Korea has instituted indemnity insurance plans that provide partial reimbursements for some medical services or costs that are not covered by the National Health Insurance (NHI). To date, no study has estimated the extent to which PHI coverage lowers the economic burden of households’ access to health care. The current study aims to evaluate the design of Korea’s PHI system in terms of coverage using a catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) indicator and compare it with NHI. Methods This study determined the difference between the number of households that were subscribed to PHI and those that received reimbursements from PHI. Additionally, it compared the effects of reduced CHE by NHI benefits with PHI reimbursements. Furthermore, it compared PHI reimbursements based on income class. Finally, it analyzed the contribution of NHI and PHI to CHE reduction through a two-part model with hierarchical regression. Results The results indicated that of the 5644 households examined, 3769 subscribed to PHI, but only 246 households received reimbursements. Notably, NHI reduced CHE incidence by 15.17%, whereas PHI only reduced CHE by 1.22%. The NHI scheme indicated reduced inequality as it provided more benefits to the low-income class for their used medical services, whereas PHI paid more reimbursements to the high-income class. Accordingly, NHI coverage has protected households from CHE and improved equality to some extent; however, PHI coverage has had a relatively low effect on relieving CHE and has increased inequality. Conclusions The indemnity health insurance plans of PHI companies in Korea only cover partial medical costs or services, and so, most patients do not receive reimbursements. Thus, Korea’s PHI system needs to improve to provide benefits to patients more generously and alleviate their financial burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Woo Jung
- Department of Health Administration, Graduate School·BK21 Graduate program of developing glocal experts in health policy and management, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Dae Kwon
- Department of Humanities and Social Medicine, College of Medicine and Catholic Institute for Healthcare Management, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Won Noh
- Division of Health Administration, College of Software and Digital Healthcare Convergence, Yonsei University, 1, Yeonsedae-gil, Heungeop-myeon, Wonju-si, Gangwon-do, 26493, Republic of Korea.
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20
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Ohta M, Ahn SM, Seki Y, Yang W, Wong SKH, Udomsawaengsup S, Hamdorf JM, Khaitan M, Kosai NR, Wang W, Lee J, Rudiman R, Wijeratne T, Oliveros E, Wang C, Kasama K. Ten Years of Change in Bariatric/Metabolic Surgery in the Asia-Pacific Region with COVID-19 Pandemic: IFSO-APC National Reports 2021. Obes Surg 2022; 32:2994-3004. [PMID: 35773552 PMCID: PMC9245878 DOI: 10.1007/s11695-022-06182-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Background On November 25, 2021, the IFSO-Asia–Pacific Chapter (IFSO-APC) Virtual Meeting 2021 was held online, and the representatives from the Asia–Pacific region presented 10 years of change in bariatric/metabolic surgery and the influence of COVID-19 in the special session of “IFSO-APC National Reports 2010–2020”. We herein report the summarized data. Methods National bariatric/metabolic surgery data, which included the data of 2010 and 2020, were collected from the representatives using a questionnaire that consisted of 10 general questions. At the congress, the data were calculated and summarized. Results Thirteen of the 14 national societies responded to the survey. From 2010 to recent years, the populations of individuals with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and individuals with diabetes both significantly increased. Eight countries and regions expanded the lower limit of criteria for bariatric surgery by 2–5 kg/m2 (BMI), and 5 countries newly established criteria for metabolic surgery in the last ten years. Sixty-nine percent of the countries currently run public health insurance systems, which doubled from 2010. The number of bariatric surgeons and institutions increased more than threefold from 2010. In 2010, 2019, and 2020, surgeons in IFSO-APC societies performed 18,280, 66,010, and 49,553 bariatric/metabolic surgeries, respectively. Due to the COVID pandemic, restriction policies significantly reduced access to surgery in South and Southeast Asian countries. The biggest changes included increased numbers of bariatric surgeons and institutions, operation numbers, public insurance coverage, raising awareness, and national registry systems. Conclusion For the last 10 years, bariatric/metabolic surgery has rapidly grown in the Asia–Pacific region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Ohta
- Research Center for GLOBAL and LOCAL Infectious Diseases, Oita University, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu, Oita, 879-5593, Japan. .,Departments of Gastroenterological and Pediatric Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, Yufu, Japan.
| | - Soo Min Ahn
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Severance Obesity Surgery Center, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yosuke Seki
- Weight Loss and Metabolic Surgery Center, Yotsuya Medical Cube, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Wah Yang
- Department of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Simon Kin-Hung Wong
- Division of Upper Gastrointestinal & Metabolic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Suthep Udomsawaengsup
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Jeffrey M Hamdorf
- Clinical Training and Evaluation Centre, Medical School, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia
| | - Manish Khaitan
- Nobesity Bariatric Center, KD Hospital, Ahmedabad, India
| | - Nik Ritza Kosai
- Minimally Invasive Upper Gastrointestinal and Bariatric Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Weu Wang
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - June Lee
- Department of General Surgery, Changi General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Reno Rudiman
- Division of Digestive Surgery, Department of General Surgery, School of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Hasan Sadikin General Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia
| | - Thejana Wijeratne
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayawardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
| | - Edward Oliveros
- Institute of Surgery, St. Luke's Medical Center, Manila, Philippines
| | - Cunchuan Wang
- Department of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kazunori Kasama
- Weight Loss and Metabolic Surgery Center, Yotsuya Medical Cube, Tokyo, Japan
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21
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Yeshua AS, Abittan B, Bar-El L, Mullin C, Goldman RH. Employer-based insurance coverage increases utilization of planned oocyte cryopreservation. J Assist Reprod Genet 2022. [PMID: 35536381 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-022-02506-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine the utilization of planned oocyte cryopreservation (OC) in the year immediately prior to, and the year of, insurance coverage commencement for employees at our institution. METHODS Patient demographics and cycle outcomes were retrospectively compared between the first OC cycles occurring in 2017 vs. 2018 according to insurance coverage and type, age, and the number of oocytes retrieved and cryopreserved. Continuous demographic variables including age, BMI, day 3 FSH and E2, AMH, gravidity, and parity were compared using student T-tests. Cycle outcomes, including the number of oocytes retrieved and cryopreserved were compared using linear regression models, adjusting for potential confounders including age, BMI, and ovarian reserve parameters. RESULTS Between January 2017 and December 2018, 123 patients underwent planned OC at our institution. Patient age ranged from 23 to 44 years and did not significantly differ from 2017 to 2018 (mean 34.9 vs. 35.2). There was a 12% increase in planned OC utilization from 2017 (N = 58) to 2018 (N = 65). Significantly, more patients had any insurance coverage in 2018 vs. 2017 (71.9% vs. 40.4%, p = 0.001), a 78% increase. From 2017 to 2018, the number of patients with hospital-based insurance coverage undergoing planned OC increased by a factor of 8 (5 to 41.5%, p < 0.001), while the number of self-pay patients significantly decreased (p = 0.001). No differences were found regarding cycle outcomes. CONCLUSION A greater proportion of women at our institution had insurance coverage for planned OC in 2018 vs. 2017. Employer-based insurance coverage for planned OC was associated with a significant increase in utilization by hospital employees.
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Jacobs PD, Abdus S. Changes in preventive service use by race and ethnicity after medicare eligibility in the United States. Prev Med 2022; 157:106996. [PMID: 35189202 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.106996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Use of recommended preventive care services in the United States is not universal and varies considerably by socio-economic status. We examine whether widespread eligibility for Medicare at age 65 narrows disparate preventive service use by race and ethnicity. Using data across 12 cycles of the Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (2005-2016), we employ a regression discontinuity design to assess changes in the use of preventive services. Our sample included: 8847 Hispanic respondents, 9908 non-Hispanic Black respondents, and 29,527 non-Hispanic White respondents. We examined six preventive services: routine check-ups, blood cholesterol screenings, receipt of the influenza vaccine, blood pressure screenings, mammograms, and colorectal cancer screenings. For non-Hispanic Black adults, we found that preventive service use increased after age 65 across a range of measures including a 4.8 percentage-point (95% confidence interval (CI)1.4, 8.2) increase in blood cholesterol screening, and a 9.1 percentage-point (95% CI 2.1, 15.9) increase in mammograms for Black women. For all four preventive health measures that were lower for Hispanic adults compared with non-Hispanic White adults prior to age 65, service use was indistinguishable (p > 0.10) between these groups after reaching the Medicare eligibility age. Medicare eligibility appeared to reduce most racial and ethnic disparities in preventive service use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul D Jacobs
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Division of Research and Modeling, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20850, USA.
| | - Salam Abdus
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Division of Research and Modeling, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
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23
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Nakphong MK, De Trinidad Young ME, Morales B, Guzman-Ruiz IY, Chen L, Kietzman KG. Social exclusion at the intersections of immigration, employment, and healthcare policy: A qualitative study of Mexican and Chinese immigrants in California. Soc Sci Med 2022; 298:114833. [PMID: 35247783 PMCID: PMC10949949 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
While immigrants in the US suffer poor access to healthcare in general, access within immigrant populations varies notably by legal status and employment. Intersections between immigration, employment, and healthcare policy have shaped immigrants' access or exclusion from healthcare; however, little research has examined how immigrants experience and navigate these intersections. Drawing on social exclusion theory and the theory of bounded agency, we aimed to investigate Mexican and Chinese immigrants' experiences of exclusion from healthcare as one key dimension of social exclusion-and how this was shaped by interactions with the institutions of immigration and employment. The examination of two ethnic immigrant groups who live under the same set of policies allows for a focus on the common impacts of policy. We selected Mexican and Chinese immigrants as the two largest subgroups in California's Latinx and Asian immigrant population. We use a policy lens to analyze qualitative data from the mixed-methods Research on Immigrant Health and State Policy (RIGHTS) Study, involving 60 in-depth interviews with Mexican and Chinese immigrants in California between August 2018-August 2019. We identified two primary themes: pathways of social exclusion and access, and strategies used to address social exclusion. Findings show that immigrants' exclusion from healthcare is fundamentally linked to legal status and employment, and that immigrants navigate difficult choices between opportunities for improved employment and changes in legal status. We argue that multiple categories of legal status affect immigrants' employment opportunities and social position, which, in turn, translates to stratified healthcare access. Our findings support the literature establishing legal status as a mechanism of social stratification but challenge legal-illegal binary paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle K Nakphong
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Center for Health Policy Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Maria-Elena De Trinidad Young
- Center for Health Policy Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Public Health, School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts University of California, Merced, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Brenda Morales
- Center for Health Policy Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Social Welfare, Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Iris Y Guzman-Ruiz
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Center for Health Policy Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lei Chen
- Center for Health Policy Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Social Welfare, Luskin School of Public Affairs, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kathryn G Kietzman
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Center for Health Policy Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Al-Sumaih I, Donnelly M, O'Neill C. Sociodemographic characteristics of patients and their use of post-bariatric contouring surgery in the US. BMC Health Serv Res 2022; 22:308. [PMID: 35255893 PMCID: PMC8900300 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-022-07692-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Expansion of healthcare insurance coverage to bariatric surgeries has led to an increased demand from patients for post-bariatric contouring surgeries. This study examined the relationship between the use of contouring procedures on post-bariatric surgery patients, clinical need and sociodemographic factors. Methods Data were extracted from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Ambulatory Surgery Sample (NASS) regarding hospital-owned ambulatory surgical centres in the US. Episodes without missing values relating to patients, 18 years old or above were the primary unit of analysis. Episodes were excluded if the field regarding expected payer was reported as “no charge.” The primary outcome was the likelihood of panniculectomy, abdominoplasty, and mastopexy among post-bariatric surgery patients; and the degree to which uptake of these types of contouring surgery were associated with age, gender, median households’ income, expected payer, patient’s location, and comorbidity. Results A total of 66,368 weighted episodes of care received by patients who had had bariatric surgery were extracted (54,684 female [82.4%]; mean age, 51.3 [SD, 12.1]; 6219 episodes had contouring surgeries [9.37%]). Panniculectomy was the most common post-bariatric contouring procedure (3.68%). Uptake of post-bariatric contouring procedures was associated with age, sex, payment type, area-based measures of median household income, and patient location. Compared to Medicare insured patients, the odds of receiving contouring surgery among self-payers were 1.82 (95% CI, 1.47 to 2.26) for panniculectomy, 14.79 (95% CI, 12.19 to 17.93) for abdominoplasty and 47.97 (95% CI, 32.76 to 70.24) for mastopexy. Rank order of comorbidity profiles also differed between insured and self-paying recipients of contouring surgery. Conclusions Insurance status of bariatric surgery patients and their sex were strongly associated with receipt of a range of contouring procedures. Self-payments were associated with a doubling of the odds of having panniculectomy and an increase in the odds to approximately 14 times for abdominoplasty and 48 times for mastopexy. Thus, access to contouring surgery by post-bariatric patients may be disproportionately dependent on personal preference supported by ability to pay rather than clinical need. Further research is needed to examine the impact of contouring or delayed/denied contouring on health status. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-022-07692-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim Al-Sumaih
- Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Block B, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, UK, BT12 6BA, UK. .,Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Michael Donnelly
- Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Block B, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, UK, BT12 6BA, UK
| | - Ciaran O'Neill
- Centre for Public Health, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Block B, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, UK, BT12 6BA, UK
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El Ayadi AM, Baer RJ, Gay C, Lee HC, Obedin-Maliver J, Jelliffe-Pawlowski L, Lyndon A. Risk Factors for Dual Burden of Severe Maternal Morbidity and Preterm Birth by Insurance Type in California. Matern Child Health J 2022. [PMID: 35041142 DOI: 10.1007/s10995-021-03313-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Among childbearing women, insurance coverage determines degree of access to preventive and emergency care for maternal and infant health. Maternal-infant dyads with dual burden of severe maternal morbidity and preterm birth experience high physical and psychological morbidity, and the risk of dual burden varies by insurance type. We examined whether sociodemographic and perinatal risk factors of dual burden differed by insurance type. Methods We estimated relative risks of dual burden by maternal sociodemographic and perinatal characteristics in the 2007–2012 California birth cohort dataset stratified by insurance type and compared effects across insurance types using Wald Z-statistics. Results Dual burden ranged from 0.36% of privately insured births to 0.41% of uninsured births. Obstetric comorbidities, multiple gestation, parity, and birth mode conferred the largest risks across all insurance types, but effect magnitude differed. The adjusted relative risk of dual burden associated with preeclampsia superimposed on preexisting hypertension ranged from 9.1 (95% CI 7.6–10.9) for privately insured to 15.9 (95% CI 9.1–27.6) among uninsured. The adjusted relative risk of dual burden associated with cesarean birth ranged from 3.1 (95% CI 2.7–3.5) for women with Medi-Cal to 5.4 (95% CI 3.5–8.2) for women with other insurance among primiparas, and 7.0 (95% CI 6.0–8.3) to 19.4 (95% CI 10.3–36.3), respectively, among multiparas. Conclusions Risk factors of dual burden differed by insurance type across sociodemographic and perinatal factors, suggesting that care quality may differ by insurance type. Attention to peripartum care access and care quality provided by insurance type is needed to improve maternal and neonatal health. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10995-021-03313-1.
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Shahabi S, Skempes D, Behzadifar M, Tabrizi R, Nazari B, Ghanbari MK, Heydari ST, Zarei L, Lankarani KB. Recommendations to improve insurance coverage for physiotherapy services in Iran: a multi criteria decision-making approach. Cost Eff Resour Alloc 2021; 19:80. [PMID: 34895282 PMCID: PMC8666042 DOI: 10.1186/s12962-021-00333-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND High toll of traffic-related injuries, climate change, natural disasters, population aging, as well as chronic diseases have all made considerable demands on receiving physiotherapy services in Iran. Nevertheless, there is an assortment of complications facing utilization of such services, particularly poor insurance coverage. Therefore, the present study investigated and identified gaps in insurance coverage in order to inform future policy reforms and the design of a more comprehensive and universal benefits package for physiotherapy services in Iran. METHODS This project was carried out in Iran, using a mix-methods (viz. qualitative-quantitative) approach. Within the first phase, a qualitative study was completed to find policy recommendations. Such recommendations were then prioritized through the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), in the second phase, based on effectiveness, acceptability, cost, fairness, feasibility, and time. RESULTS Within the first phase, a total number of 30 semi-structured interviews with health policy-makers, health insurers, faculty members, rehabilitation experts, and physiotherapists were completed. Several policy recommendations were also proposed by the study participants. Following the second phase, prioritized recommendations were provided to promote stewardship (e.g., informing policy-makers about physiotherapy services), collection of funds (e.g., placing value-added taxes on luxury goods and services), pooling of funds (e.g., moving allocated resources towards insurance (viz. third-party) mechanism), purchasing (e.g., using strategic purchasing), and benefit package (e.g., considering preventive interventions) as the main components of insurance coverage. CONCLUSION The study findings provided a favorable ground to improve insurance coverage for physiotherapy services in Iran. As well, decision- and policy-makers can place these recommendations on the agenda in the health sector to protect population health status, especially that of groups with disabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeed Shahabi
- Health Policy Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | | | - Masoud Behzadifar
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran
| | - Reza Tabrizi
- Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
- Clinical Research Development Unit, Vali Asr Hospital, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Behrooz Nazari
- Rehabilitation Research Center, Department of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Seyed Taghi Heydari
- Health Policy Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
| | - Leila Zarei
- Health Policy Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Kamran Bagheri Lankarani
- Health Policy Research Center, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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Shah ED, Chang L, Lembo A, Staller K, Curley MA, Chey WD. Price Is Right: Exploring Prescription Drug Coverage Barriers for Irritable Bowel Syndrome Using Threshold Pricing Analysis. Dig Dis Sci 2021; 66:4140-4148. [PMID: 33433804 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-020-06806-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prescription drug costs exert profound effects on commercial insurance coverage and access to effective therapy. AIMS We aimed to assess threshold pricing to achieve budget neutrality of FDA-approved drugs treating irritable bowel syndrome from an insurance perspective, based on cost-savings resulting in decreased healthcare utilization through effective disease management. METHODS We constructed a decision-analytic model from an insurance perspective to assess the budget impact of IBS prescription drugs under usual insurance coverage levels in practice: (1) unrestricted drug access or (2) step therapy in a primary care population of middle-age, care-seeking IBS patients. Budget-neutral drug prices were then calculated which resulted in $0 budget impact to insurers with a short-term, one-year time horizon. RESULTS If used according to FDA labeling, IBS-D drugs cost between $4778 and $16,844 per year and IBS-C drugs cost between $4319 and $4955 per year. These drug costs often exceed insurance expenditures of $6999 for IBS-D and $3929 for IBS-C if left untreated. Therefore, for drugs to have $0 budget impact to insurers, their prices would need to be discounted 36.7-74.2% for IBS-D drugs and 59.3-82.5% for IBS-C. IBS drugs are already priced to support step therapy "failing one of several common, inexpensive IBS treatments with a responder rate > 30-40%," reflecting the subpopulation with more severe disease and greater healthcare costs. CONCLUSIONS Broader prescription drug coverage for patients failing common, inexpensive IBS treatments to which at least 30-40% of patients would typically respond appears warranted to enable gastroenterologists to offer personalized approaches targeting specific mechanisms of this heterogeneous disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric D Shah
- Center for Gastrointestinal Motility, Esophageal, and Swallowing Disorders, Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH, 03766, USA.
| | - Lin Chang
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anthony Lembo
- Digestive Disease Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kyle Staller
- Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael A Curley
- Center for Gastrointestinal Motility, Esophageal, and Swallowing Disorders, Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH, 03766, USA
| | - William D Chey
- Division of Gastroenterology, Michigan Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Aleppo G, Parkin CG, Carlson AL, Galindo RJ, Kruger DF, Levy CJ, Umpierrez GE, Forlenza GP, McGill JB. Lost in Translation: A Disconnect Between the Science and Medicare Coverage Criteria for Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion. Diabetes Technol Ther 2021; 23:715-725. [PMID: 34077674 PMCID: PMC8573795 DOI: 10.1089/dia.2021.0196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Numerous studies have demonstrated the clinical value and safety of insulin pump therapy in type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes populations. However, the eligibility criteria for insulin pump coverage required by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) discount conclusive evidence that supports insulin pump use in diabetes populations that are currently deemed ineligible. This article discusses the limitations and inconsistencies of the insulin pump eligibility criteria relative to current scientific evidence and proposes workable solutions to address this issue and improve the safety and care of all individuals with diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grazia Aleppo
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Christopher G. Parkin
- Clinical Research, CGParkin Communications, Inc., Henderson, Nevada, USA
- Address correspondence to: Christopher G. Parkin, MS, Clinical Research, CGParkin Communications, Inc., 2352 Martinique Avenue, Henderson, NV 89044, USA.
| | - Anders L. Carlson
- International Diabetes Center, Endocrinologist, Regions Hospital & HealthPartners Clinics, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Diabetes Education Programs, HealthPartners and Stillwater Medical Group, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Rodolfo J. Galindo
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Center for Diabetes Metabolism Research Emory University Hospital Midtown, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Hospital Diabetes Taskforce, Emory Healthcare System, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Davida F. Kruger
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Bone & Mineral, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Carol J. Levy
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, New York, USA
- Mount Sinai Diabetes Center and T1D Clinical Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Guillermo E. Umpierrez
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Diabetes and Endocrinology, Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Gregory P. Forlenza
- Barbara Davis Center, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Janet B. McGill
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Lipid Research, Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Galindo RJ, Parkin CG, Aleppo G, Carlson AL, Kruger DF, Levy CJ, Umpierrez GE, McGill JB. What's Wrong with This Picture? A Critical Review of Current Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Coverage Criteria for Continuous Glucose Monitoring. Diabetes Technol Ther 2021; 23:652-660. [PMID: 33844588 PMCID: PMC8501458 DOI: 10.1089/dia.2021.0107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Numerous studies have demonstrated the clinical value of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes populations. However, the eligibility criteria for CGM coverage required by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ignore conclusive evidence that supports CGM use in various diabetes populations that are currently deemed ineligible. This article discusses the limitations and inconsistencies of the CMS eligibility criteria relative to current scientific evidence and proposes workable solutions to address this issue and improve the safety and care of all individuals with diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo J. Galindo
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Center for Diabetes Metabolism Research Emory University Hospital Midtown, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Hospital Diabetes Taskforce, Emory Healthcare System, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Christopher G. Parkin
- Clinical Research, CGParkin Communications, Inc., Henderson, Nevada, USA
- Address correspondence to: Christopher G. Parkin, MS, Clinical Research, CGParkin Communications, Inc., 2352 Martinique Avenue, Henderson, NV 89044, USA
| | - Grazia Aleppo
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Anders L. Carlson
- International Diabetes Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Regions Hospital & HealthPartners Clinics, St Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Diabetes Education Programs, HealthPartners and Stillwater Medical Group, Stillwater, Minnesota, USA
- University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Davida F. Kruger
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Bone & Mineral, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Carol J. Levy
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, New York, USA
- Mount Sinai Diabetes Center and T1D Clinical Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Guillermo E. Umpierrez
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Diabetes and Endocrinology, Grady Memorial Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Janet B. McGill
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Lipid Research, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Salehi O, Vega EA, Lathan C, James D, Kozyreva O, Alarcon SV, Kutlu OC, Herrick B, Conrad C. Race, Age, Gender, and Insurance Status: A Comparative Analysis of Access to and Quality of Gastrointestinal Cancer Care. J Gastrointest Surg 2021; 25:2152-2162. [PMID: 34027580 DOI: 10.1007/s11605-021-05038-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Socioeconomics, demographics, and insurance status play roles in healthcare access. Considering the limited resources available, understanding the relative impact of disparities helps prioritize programs designed to overcome them. This study evaluates gastrointestinal cancer care disparity by comparing the impact of different patient factors across oncologic care metrices. METHODS A multi-institutional prospectively maintained cancer database was reviewed retrospectively for gastrointestinal cancers (esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, colorectal, and hepato-pancreato-biliary) from 2007 to 2017 to assess quality of care provided. Quality of care was defined by clinical course following national guidelines for the respective cancer. This included surgical intervention, chemotherapy, palliative care, and minimal delay to treatment/diagnosis. Logistic regression was used to adjust for confounders and identify factors associated with quality of care. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were compared using log-rank test. RESULTS One thousand seventy-two patients were identified. Survival improved in patients with private insurance compared to government-funded options [median overall survival (mOS) 57.8 vs. 21.2 months; P < .001]. Private insurance also correlated with earlier stage at diagnosis [stages I-II = 50.9% vs. 37.5%, stages III-IV = 37.7% vs. 49.1%, P < .001], increased chemotherapy use [44.2% vs. 37.1%, P < .001], and more surgical intervention [62.4% vs. 48.8%, P < .001]. Outcomes were inferior for Black Americans, including trend towards lower rate of surgical treatment [42% vs. 54%, P = .058] and worse survival in private insurance carriers [mOS 7.8 vs. 57.8 months, P = .021] and those with early stage disease [mOS 39.2 vs. 81.5 months, P = .045] compared to White counterparts. CONCLUSIONS Insurance status has the strongest impact on the quality of gastrointestinal oncologic care with negative synergistic negative effect of race for Black Americans. While governmental programs aim to improve equality of care, there remains significant disparity compared to private insurance. Moreover, private insurance doesn't correct disparity for Black Americans, suggesting the need to address racial imbalances in cancer care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omid Salehi
- Department of Surgery, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, 11 Nevins St., Suite 201, Brighton, MA, 02135, USA
| | - Eduardo A Vega
- Department of Surgery, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, 11 Nevins St., Suite 201, Brighton, MA, 02135, USA
| | - Christopher Lathan
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Daria James
- Department of Surgery, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, 11 Nevins St., Suite 201, Brighton, MA, 02135, USA
| | - Olga Kozyreva
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sylvia V Alarcon
- Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Onur C Kutlu
- Department of Surgery, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Beth Herrick
- Department of Radiation Oncology, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, & University of Massachusetts School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Claudius Conrad
- Department of Surgery, St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, 11 Nevins St., Suite 201, Brighton, MA, 02135, USA.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND More than 30 states have either expanded Medicaid or are actively considering expansion. The coverage gains from this policy are well documented, however, the impacts of its increasing coverage on poverty disparity are unclear at the national level. METHOD American Community Survey (2012-2018) was used to examine the effects of Medicaid expansion on poverty disparity in insurance coverage for nonelderly adults in the United States. Differences-in-differences-in-differences design was used to analyze trends in uninsured rates by poverty levels: (1) < 138 %, (2) 138-400 % and (3) > 400 % federal poverty level (FPL). RESULTS Compared with uninsured rates in 2012, uninsured rates in 2018 decreased by 10.75 %, 6.42 %, and 1.11 % for < 138 %, 138-400 %, and > 400 % FPL, respectively. From 2012 to 2018, > 400 % FPL group continuously had the lowest uninsured rate and < 138 % FPL group had the highest uninsured rate. Compared with ≥ 138 % FPL groups, there was a 2.54 % reduction in uninsured risk after Medicaid expansion among < 138 % FPL group in Medicaid expansion states versus control states. After eliminating the impact of the ACA market exchange premium subsidy, 3.18 % decrease was estimated. CONCLUSION Poverty disparity in uninsured rates improved with Medicaid expansion. However, < 138 % FPL population are still at a higher risk for being uninsured.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilu Lin
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, Suite 1900, Louisiana, 70112, New Orleans, USA
| | - Alisha Monnette
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, Suite 1900, Louisiana, 70112, New Orleans, USA
| | - Lizheng Shi
- Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, 1440 Canal Street, Suite 1900, Louisiana, 70112, New Orleans, USA.
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Hung M, Su S, Hon ES, Tilley E, Macdonald A, Lauren E, Roberson G, Lipsky MS. Examination of orthodontic expenditures and trends in the United States from 1996 to 2016: disparities across demographics and insurance payers. BMC Oral Health 2021; 21:268. [PMID: 34001095 PMCID: PMC8130155 DOI: 10.1186/s12903-021-01629-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Orthodontics prevent and treat facial, dental, and occlusal anomalies. Untreated orthodontic problems can lead to significant dental public health issues, making it important to understand expenditures for orthodontic treatment. This study examined orthodontic expenditures and trends in the United States over 2 decades. Methods This study used data collected by the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to examine orthodontic expenditures in the United States from 1996 to 2016. Descriptive statistics for orthodontic expenditures were computed and graphed across various groups. Trends in orthodontic expenditures were adjusted to the 2016 United States dollar to account for inflation and deflation over time. Sampling weights were applied in estimating per capita and total expenditures to account for non-responses in population groups. Results Total orthodontic expenditures in the United States almost doubled from $11.5 billion in 1996 to $19.9 billion in 2016 with the average orthodontic expenditure per person increasing from $42.69 in 1996 to $61.52 in 2016. Black individuals had the lowest per capita orthodontic visit expenditure at $30.35. Out-of-pocket expenses represented the highest total expenditure and although the amount of out-of-pocket expenses increased over the years, they decreased as a percentage of total expenditures. Public insurance increased the most over the study period but still accounted for the smallest percentage of expenditures. Over the course of the study, several annual decreases were interspersed with years of increased spending Conclusion While government insurance expenditure increased over the study period, out of pocket expenditures remained the largest contributor. Annual decreases in expenditure associated with economic downturns and result from the reliance on out-of-pocket payments for orthodontic care. Differences in spending among groups suggest disparities in orthodontic care among the US population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Hung
- Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine, 10894 S. River Front Parkway, South Jordan, UT, 84095, USA. .,University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
| | - Sharon Su
- Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine, 10894 S. River Front Parkway, South Jordan, UT, 84095, USA
| | - Eric S Hon
- University of Chicago The College, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Edgar Tilley
- Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine, 10894 S. River Front Parkway, South Jordan, UT, 84095, USA
| | - Alex Macdonald
- Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine, 10894 S. River Front Parkway, South Jordan, UT, 84095, USA
| | - Evelyn Lauren
- University of Utah Department of Mathematics, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Glen Roberson
- Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine, 10894 S. River Front Parkway, South Jordan, UT, 84095, USA
| | - Martin S Lipsky
- Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine, 10894 S. River Front Parkway, South Jordan, UT, 84095, USA.,Portland State University Institute on Aging, Portland, OR, USA
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Gamble CR, Huang Y, Wright JD, Hou JY. Precision medicine testing in ovarian cancer: The growing inequity between patients with commercial vs medicaid insurance. Gynecol Oncol 2021; 162:18-23. [PMID: 33958212 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2021.04.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Precision medicine technologies have significant impact in the care of patients with ovarian cancer. Compared to affluent patients, socioeconomically vulnerable patients are less likely to have access to this testing. There is little data that demonstrate this inequity over time. METHODS We used the IBM Truven Health MarketScan Research Database to identify patients in the United States who underwent surgery for ovarian cancer between 2011 and 2017. The presence of claims for precision medicine testing within six months of surgery was assessed for each patient. Precision medicine testing included both molecular genetic testing (BRCA limited or full sequencing, somatic and germline testing) as well as ancillary pathology tests (immunohistochemistry, microsatellite instability). Demographic data was extracted. RESULTS We identified 27,181 patients who met eligibility. Of these, 88.6% had commercial insurance, and 11.4% had Medicaid. While the proportion of patients who underwent precision medicine testing increased over time for both cohorts (47.0% to 66.6% for commercially insured, 41.4% to 57.6% for Medicaid insured, p < 0.0001), the inequity in testing rates widened (5.6% disparity to 9.0%, p < 0.0001). This was driven by growing inequity in germline and somatic genetic testing (7.6% disparity to 21.3%, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS There is widening inequity in precision medicine testing rates between commercially insured and Medicaid insured poate patients with ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte R Gamble
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, United States of America; New York Presbyterian Hospital, United States of America.
| | - Yongmei Huang
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, United States of America; Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, United States of America
| | - Jason D Wright
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, United States of America; Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, United States of America; New York Presbyterian Hospital, United States of America
| | - June Y Hou
- Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, United States of America; Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, United States of America; New York Presbyterian Hospital, United States of America
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Park SH, Choi J, Byeon JS. Key Principles of Clinical Validation, Device Approval, and Insurance Coverage Decisions of Artificial Intelligence. Korean J Radiol 2021; 22:442-453. [PMID: 33629545 PMCID: PMC7909857 DOI: 10.3348/kjr.2021.0048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) will likely affect various fields of medicine. This article aims to explain the fundamental principles of clinical validation, device approval, and insurance coverage decisions of AI algorithms for medical diagnosis and prediction. Discrimination accuracy of AI algorithms is often evaluated with the Dice similarity coefficient, sensitivity, specificity, and traditional or free-response receiver operating characteristic curves. Calibration accuracy should also be assessed, especially for algorithms that provide probabilities to users. As current AI algorithms have limited generalizability to real-world practice, clinical validation of AI should put it to proper external testing and assisting roles. External testing could adopt diagnostic case-control or diagnostic cohort designs. A diagnostic case-control study evaluates the technical validity/accuracy of AI while the latter tests the clinical validity/accuracy of AI in samples representing target patients in real-world clinical scenarios. Ultimate clinical validation of AI requires evaluations of its impact on patient outcomes, referred to as clinical utility, and for which randomized clinical trials are ideal. Device approval of AI is typically granted with proof of technical validity/accuracy and thus does not intend to directly indicate if AI is beneficial for patient care or if it improves patient outcomes. Neither can it categorically address the issue of limited generalizability of AI. After achieving device approval, it is up to medical professionals to determine if the approved AI algorithms are beneficial for real-world patient care. Insurance coverage decisions generally require a demonstration of clinical utility that the use of AI has improved patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seong Ho Park
- Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
| | - Jaesoon Choi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jeong Sik Byeon
- Department of Gastroenterology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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Welch HJ, Schul MW, Monahan DL, Iafrati MD. Private payers' varicose vein policies are inaccurate, disparate, and not evidence based, which mandates a proposal for a reasonable and responsible policy for the treatment of venous disease. J Vasc Surg Venous Lymphat Disord 2021; 9:820-832. [PMID: 33684590 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvsv.2020.12.076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Varicose veins afflict more than one in five Americans, and although varicose veins may be an asymptomatic cosmetic concern in some, many others experience symptoms of pain, aching, heaviness, itching, and swelling. More advanced venous disease can result from untreated venous insufficiency. The complications of chronic venous disease, including bleeding, thrombosis, and ulceration, are seen in up to 2 million Americans annually. Numerous reports have documented venous disease adversely affects quality of life and that treatment of venous disease can improve quality of life. It has previously been documented that private insurers, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services subcontractors for that matter, have disparate policies that in many instances are self-serving, contain mistakes, use outdated evidence, and disregard evidence-based guidelines. The two leading venous medical societies, the American Venous Forum and the American Venous and Lymphatic Society, have come together to review the varicose vein coverage policies of seven major U.S. private medical insurance carriers whose policies cover more than 150 million Americans. The authors reviewed the policies for venous disease and, if significant gaps or inconsistencies are found, we hope to point them out, and, finally, to propose a thoughtful and reasonable policy based on the best available evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harold J Welch
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Burlington, Mass.
| | - Marlin W Schul
- Lafayette Regional Vein and Laser Center, Lafayette, Ind
| | | | - Mark D Iafrati
- Department of Vascular Surgery, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Mass
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Ye W, Rodriguez JM. Highly vulnerable communities and the Affordable Care Act: Health insurance coverage effects, 2010-2018. Soc Sci Med 2021; 270:113670. [PMID: 33450469 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Initially implemented in 2014 in some U.S. states, the Medicaid expansions under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) aimed to make health insurance coverage more accessible to the low-income population. This paper aims to quantify the impact of the ACA Medicaid expansions on insurance coverage among racial/ethnic minorities, immigrants, single mothers, veterans, and low-education whites-i.e., the sectors of the population identified with some of the highest healthcare needs. We focus on individuals 18-64 years of age earning 138% or less of the federal poverty level from the American Community Survey, 2010-2018 (n = 2,927,402). We use difference-in-differences (DD) and difference-in-difference-in-differences (DDD) approaches with propensity scores matched comparison groups to estimate pre-post ACA insurance coverage differences between individuals living in states that participated in the ACA Medicaid expansions and those living in non-participating states, and to estimate if such differences vary across subgroups. We find that insurance coverage rates increased for all subgroups; yet, the ACA benefits have not been evenly distributed across them. Low-education whites, non-Hispanic whites, females, and non-Hispanic Native Americans exhibited the highest improvements in insurance coverage. Our results contribute to the understanding of recent trends in racial and socioeconomic disparities in healthcare and the appropriate policy prescriptions to ameliorate them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Ye
- Claremont Graduate University, United States
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Benoy ME, Iruretagoyena JI, Birkeland LE, Petty EM. The impact of insurance on equitable access to non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPT): private insurance may not pay. J Community Genet 2021; 12:185-97. [PMID: 33404996 DOI: 10.1007/s12687-020-00498-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), is a prenatal screening test for chromosomal aneuploidies (trisomy 21, trisomy 18, and trisomy 13). While women under 35 years of age with no other risk factors are considered low risk for pregnancies with aneuploidy, most babies with aneuploidy are born to low-risk women. Across the USA, including Wisconsin, many private insurances do not cover initial NIPT for low-risk women, creating a potential financial burden that may limit patient selection of NIPT. Low-risk women with public insurance in Wisconsin are covered for NIPT. This pilot study determined if a difference exists in NIPT uptake based on insurance type in low-risk pregnant women in their first trimester. It also explored genetic counselor perspectives on how insurance coverage for NIPT is addressed with patients. Women with public insurance were 3.43 times more likely to have NIPT as an initial screen for aneuploidy than women with private insurance, indicating that insurance coverage may present a barrier to care. Additionally, analysis showed no evidence of different demographic variables interacting with another to impact outcome after allowing for insurance coverage (X214 = 14.301, p = 0.428). Our data also suggests that more genetic counselors would recommend NIPT to patients if insurance coverage was not a barrier and were more likely to discuss financial risks associated with NIPT when a patient had private insurance. We conclude that some women cannot choose one of the safest and most sensitive prenatal aneuploidy screening tests due to financial barriers put into place by the lack of insurance coverage.
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Abrahão R, Maguire FB, Morris CR, Parikh-Patel A, Parsons HM, Keegan THM. The influence of the Affordable Care Act-Dependent Care Expansion on insurance coverage among young cancer survivors in California: an updated analysis. Cancer Causes Control 2020; 32:95-101. [PMID: 33156483 DOI: 10.1007/s10552-020-01360-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To assess changes in health insurance coverage for young cancer patients pre- and post- the Affordable Care Act-Dependent Care Expansion (ACA-DCE) implementation in California. Further, we examined differences in insurance coverage by socioeconomic and race/ethnicity. METHODS Data were obtained from the California Cancer Registry and Medicaid enrollment files, from 2005 to 2014. We conducted difference-in-difference analyses among 7042 cancer patients aged 22-25 years ("intervention group") and 25,269 aged 26-34 years ("control group"). We also examined the independent and combined effects of race/ethnicity and neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) on insurance coverage. RESULTS After the ACA-DCE implementation, we observed a 52.7% reduction in the proportion of uninsured and a 35.7% increase in the proportion of privately insured patients. There was also a 17.3% reduction in Medicaid at cancer diagnosis and a 27.5% reduction in discontinuous Medicaid enrollment. However, these benefits were limited to patients of non-Hispanic White, Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander race/ethnicity living in higher nSES, with no differences in insurance enrollment among young adults who lived in low nSES or those of Black race/ethnicity. CONCLUSION The ACA-DCE broadened insurance coverage for young adults with cancer in California. Yet, only certain subgroups of patients have benefited from this policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Abrahão
- Center for Oncology Hematology Outcomes Research and Training (COHORT), Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, 4501 X Street, Suite 3016, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA. .,Center for Healthcare Policy and Research, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA, USA.
| | - Frances B Maguire
- California Cancer Reporting and Epidemiologic Surveillance Program, University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Cyllene R Morris
- California Cancer Reporting and Epidemiologic Surveillance Program, University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Arti Parikh-Patel
- California Cancer Reporting and Epidemiologic Surveillance Program, University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Helen M Parsons
- Division of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Theresa H M Keegan
- Center for Oncology Hematology Outcomes Research and Training (COHORT), Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, 4501 X Street, Suite 3016, Sacramento, CA, 95817, USA.,California Cancer Reporting and Epidemiologic Surveillance Program, University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
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Lee DS, Lee J, Kim JW, Lee KL, Kim BG, Kim SH, Jung YJ. [Analysis of Prognosis according to Type of Health Insurance in Five Major Gastrointestinal Cancer Patients in Public Hospitals: Single-institution Retrospective Study]. Korean J Gastroenterol 2020; 75:17-22. [PMID: 31986569 DOI: 10.4166/kjg.2020.75.1.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2019] [Revised: 10/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Background/Aims Public hospitals were established to provide high quality medical services to low socioeconomic status patients. This study examined the effects of public hospitals on the treatment and prognosis of patients with five-major gastrointestinal (GI) cancers (stomach cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer, bile duct cancer, and pancreatic cancer). Methods Among the 1,268 patients treated at Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center from January 2010 to December 2017, 164 (13%) were in the medicare group. The data were analyzed to identify and compare the clinical manifestations, treatment modality, and clinical outcomes between the groups. Results No statistically significant differences in the clinical data (age, sex), treatment method, and five-year survival rate were observed between the health insurance group and medicare group in the five major GI cancer patients. On the other hand, some medicare group patients tended more comorbidities and fewer treatment options than health insurance patients. Conclusions Public hospitals have a positive effect on the treatment and prognosis in medicare group patients with the five-major GI cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Seok Lee
- Department of Gastroenterology, Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University of College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jaekyung Lee
- Department of Gastroenterology, Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University of College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ji Won Kim
- Department of Gastroenterology, Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University of College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kook Lae Lee
- Department of Gastroenterology, Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University of College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Byeong Gwan Kim
- Department of Gastroenterology, Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University of College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Su Hwan Kim
- Department of Gastroenterology, Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University of College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - Yong Jin Jung
- Department of Gastroenterology, Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University of College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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Cruz NI, Santiago E, Figueroa BC. Insurance Type and Surgical-Patient Characteristics in the UPR-Affiliated Hospitals. P R Health Sci J 2020; 39:270-274. [PMID: 33031696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The characteristics of surgical patients were examined according to type of health insurance to determine whether differences existed between these groups. METHODS We evaluated the characteristics of cases in the UPR General Surgery Department's database (entered from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018) by insurance type. The variables examined included age, gender, inpatient/outpatient status, wound classification, type of surgery, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) scores and whether a given patient had diabetes, was a smoker, or suffered from hypertension. This database had no trauma cases. RESULTS Information was available for 5,097 cases during the study period. The mean age of the group was 51 (±22) years. The gender distribution indicated that 56% were women and 44% were men. The insurance types were distributed as follows: government/no insurance, 40%; Medicare, 12%; and private insurance, 48%. The government-insured/uninsured patients were younger (mean age, 41 ±24) and had had emergency surgery more frequently (18%) than had privately insured patients (10%). Medicare patients were significantly older (mean age, 72 ±12), and had had higher incidences of diabetes (46%) and hypertension (81%), presenting with ASA scores greater than or equal to 3 in 73% of cases. More privately insured individuals than those in other groups had had elective surgery (90%); 48% had been outpatients when they had their surgery, 58% had had clean wounds, and 61% of the patients having elective surgery were women. CONCLUSION There were significant differences (P<.05) in the characteristics of patients with different types of health insurance. The frequency of emergency surgery was found to be significantly higher in the government-insured/uninsured group than in the privately insured group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norma I Cruz
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Elvis Santiago
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Beatriz C Figueroa
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
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Barrington DA, Sinnott JA, Calo C, Cohn DE, Cosgrove CM, Felix AS. Where you live matters: A National Cancer Database study of Medicaid expansion and endometrial cancer outcomes. Gynecol Oncol 2020; 158:407-414. [PMID: 32527568 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2020.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine associations between adoption of Medicaid expansion (ME) and changes in insurance status, early stage diagnosis, and cancer survival among women with endometrial carcinoma (EC). METHODS The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried for patients diagnosed with EC between the age 40-64 from 2004 to 2015. Difference-in-differences analysis quantified the impact of ME on the proportion of new EC diagnoses with insurance (vs. uninsured), the proportion diagnosed with stage I (vs. II-IV), and overall survival. RESULTS 156,253 patients were included. Among 65,019 women living in ME states, ME is associated with an increase in the percent of EC cases who are insured of 1.4% (95% CI 0.9-2.0%, p < 0.0001), with strongest effects among Hispanic women, women in the lowest income quartile, and women in the second age quartile (age 53-57). There was no overall impact of ME on stage, though an increase of early stage diagnoses by 2.4% (95% CI 0.3-4.5%, p = 0.022) was observed among women age 53-57. There was a trend towards improved overall survival with ME, which was strongest in women age 53-57 (HR = 0.83, 95% CI 0.70-0.99, p = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS Among women with EC, ME positively impacted insurance coverage, an important hurdle in accessing health care. In women aged 53-57, ME was associated with earlier stage at diagnosis and improved survival, suggesting that the magnitude of the improvement in insurance coverage may correlate with important clinical outcomes. Efforts should continue to understand the complexity of barriers to health care access and to develop effective strategies to surmount them.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Barrington
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States of America.
| | - Jennifer A Sinnott
- Department of Statistics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America; Huntsman Cancer Institute, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America; Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America
| | - Corinne Calo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States of America
| | - David E Cohn
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States of America
| | - Casey M Cosgrove
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, United States of America
| | - Ashley S Felix
- Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States of America
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Abstract
Although infertility is now recognized as a disease by multiple organizations including the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association, private insurance companies rarely include coverage for infertility treatments. In this review, the authors assess the current state of care delivery for male infertility care in the United States. They discuss the scope of male infertility as well as the unique burdens it places on patients and review emerging market forces that could affect the future of care delivery for male infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Oakley Strasser
- Department of Urology, University of Michigan, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, SPC 5330 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-5330, USA.
| | - James M Dupree
- Department of Urology, University of Michigan, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, SPC 5330 Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-5330, USA; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Leopold C, Lu CY, Wagner AK. Integrating public preferences into national reimbursement decisions: a descriptive comparison of approaches in Belgium and New Zealand. BMC Health Serv Res 2020; 20:351. [PMID: 32334579 PMCID: PMC7183657 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-020-05152-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Public health care payer organizations face increasing pressures to make transparent and sustainable coverage decisions about ever more expensive prescription drugs, suggesting a need for public engagement in coverage decisions. However, little is known about countries’ approaches to integrating public preferences in existing funding decisions. The aim of this study was to describe how Belgium and New Zealand used deliberative processes to engage the public and to identify lessons learned from these countries’ approaches. Methods To describe two countries’ deliberative processes, we first reviewed key country policy documents and then conducted semi-structured interviews with five leaders of the processes from Belgium and New Zealand. We assessed each country’s rationales for and approaches to engaging the public in pharmaceutical coverage decisions and identified lessons learned. We used qualitative content analysis of the interviews to describe key themes and subthemes. Results In both countries, the national public payer organization initiated and led the process of integrating public preferences into national coverage decision making. Reimbursement criteria considered outdated and changing societal expectations prompted the change. Both countries chose a deliberative process of public engagement with a multi-year commitment of many stakeholders to develop new reimbursement processes. Both countries’ new reimbursement processes put a stronger emphasis on quality of life, the separation of individual versus societal perspectives, and the importance of final reimbursement decisions being taken in context rather than based largely on cost-effectiveness thresholds. Conclusions To face the growing financial pressure of sustainable funding of medicines, Belgium’s and New Zealand’s public payers have developed processes to engage the public in defining the reimbursement system’s priorities. Although these countries differ in context and geographic location, they came up with overlapping lessons learnt which include the need for 1) political commitment to initiate change, 2) broad involvement of all stakeholders, and 3) commitment of all to engage in a long-term process. To evaluate these changes, further research is required to understand how coverage decisions in systems with and without public engagement differ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Leopold
- Division of Health Policy and Insurance Research, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Landmark Center, 401 Park Drive Suite 401, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
| | - Christine Y Lu
- Division of Health Policy and Insurance Research, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Landmark Center, 401 Park Drive Suite 401, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Anita K Wagner
- Division of Health Policy and Insurance Research, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Landmark Center, 401 Park Drive Suite 401, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
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Goldstein D, Hardy WD, Monroe A, Hou Q, Hart R, Terzian A. Despite early Medicaid expansion, decreased durable virologic suppression among publicly insured people with HIV in Washington, DC: a retrospective analysis. BMC Public Health 2020; 20:509. [PMID: 32299421 PMCID: PMC7164348 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-08631-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite widely available access to HIV care in Washington, DC, inequities in HIV outcomes persist. We hypothesized that laboratory monitoring and virologic outcomes would not differ significantly based on insurance type. Methods We compared HIV monitoring with outcomes among people with HIV (PWH) with private (commercial payer) versus public (Medicare, Medicaid) insurance receiving care at community and hospital clinics. The DC Cohort follows over 8000 PWH from 14 clinics. We included those ≥18 years old enrolled between 2011 and 2015 with stable insurance. Outcomes included frequency of CD4 count and HIV RNA monitoring (> 2 lab measures/year, > 30 days apart) and durable viral suppression (VS; HIV RNA < 50 copies/mL at last visit and receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) for ≥12 months). Multivariable logistic regression models examined impact of demographic and clinical factors. Results Among 3908 PWH, 67.9% were publicly-insured and 58.9% attended community clinics. Compared with privately insured participants, a higher proportion of publicly insured participants had the following characteristics: female sex, Black race, heterosexual, unemployed, and attending community clinics. Despite less lab monitoring, privately-insured PWH had greater durable VS than publicly-insured PWH (ART-naïve: private 70.0% vs public 53.1%, p = 0.03; ART-experienced: private 80.2% vs public 69.4%, p < 0.0001). Privately-insured PWH had greater durable VS than publicly-insured PWH at hospital clinics (AOR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.20, 2.12; p = 0.001). Conclusions Paradoxical differences between HIV monitoring and durable VS exist among publicly and privately-insured PWH in Washington, DC. Programs serving PWH must improve efforts to address barriers creating inequity in HIV outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah Goldstein
- Whitman-Walker Institute, 1525 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20005, USA. .,Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA.
| | - W David Hardy
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anne Monroe
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | | | - Arpi Terzian
- Patient-centered Outcomes Research Institute, Washington, DC, USA
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Wang C, Sweetman A. Delisting eye examinations from public health insurance: Empirical evidence from Canada regarding impacts on patients and providers. Health Policy 2020; 124:540-548. [PMID: 32276853 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2020.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This paper examines the impacts of delisting routine eye exam services on patient eye care utilization and on providers' labour market outcomes in a public healthcare system. Provincial governments in Canada started to de-insure routine eye examinations from the basket of publicly insured healthcare services in the early 1990s. We explore these policy changes across Canadian provinces to estimate the impacts of delisting from the supply- and demand-sides. Demand side analysis suggests that, on average, for the working age population delisting decreased the probability of using eye care. However, the number of visits among those who continued to use eye care services did not change. Additionally, the delisting may have had unintended consequences by causing a large negative impact among low-income individuals, and there is suggestive evidence of a positive spillover on utilization by publicly-funded patients over age 64. On the supply side, using Canadian census data we find that delisting eye exams decreased optometrists' weekly work hours, raised their annual work weeks and had little effect on their income.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- International School of Economics and Management, Capital University of Economics and Business, Beijing, 100070, PR China.
| | - Arthur Sweetman
- Ontario Research Chair in Health Human Resources, Department of Economics, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4M4, Canada; Centre for Health Economics and Policy (CHEPA), McMaster University, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn, Germany.
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Nguyen TV. Update on Medical Education, Insurance Coverage, and Health Care Policy for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning, Intersexual, and Asexual Patients. Dermatol Clin 2020; 38:201-207. [PMID: 32115129 DOI: 10.1016/j.det.2019.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
There are important gaps in LGBTQIA knowledge, clinical competency, and cultural sensitivity, as well as attitudes among health care professionals, medical educators, and those in the public and insurance policy sectors. These are not only professional deficiencies but also perpetuate discrimination, limit access to health care, and lead to poor health outcomes. Research supports the notion that acquiring skills and knowledge through dedicated training programs leads to more compassionate and competent care for LGBTQIA patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tien Viet Nguyen
- Bellevue Dermatology Clinic, 1810 116th Avenue Northeast #100, Bellevue, WA 98004, USA.
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Magoon K, Beamish C, Dowshen N, Akers A. Insurance Plan Adherence to Mandate for Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives in a Large Pediatric Hospital Network. J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol 2019; 32:612-614. [PMID: 31401256 PMCID: PMC7422932 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpag.2019.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVE Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are the most effective form of pregnancy prevention for sexually active adolescents, yet usage rates are low. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandated insurers cover LARCs without cost-sharing. Compliance with this policy is not well documented. This study assessed LARC coverage by insurers in a large pediatric health system. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND INTERVENTIONS Between June and August 2016, LARC coverage was assessed through content reviews of insurance Web sites, formularies, and summaries of benefits for all Pennsylvania Medicaid plans and the top 20 commercial insurers for a large pediatric health system. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was adherence to the ACA mandate for LARC coverage without cost-sharing. RESULTS Among the 37 plans (17 public, 20 private), 21 (56.8%) were adherent and 16 (43.2%) were nonadherent. Among nonadherent plans, 3 plans covered LARC services but required cost-sharing, whereas 13 did not cover LARC services at all. There was not a statistically significant difference in LARC coverage between public and private plans. CONCLUSION Despite the landmark ACA mandate, insurance coverage of LARCs in pediatric hospitals is low for young women among private and public insurers. Insurer failure to adhere to the ACA among pediatric patients represents a barrier to LARC access for those at high risk of unintended pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Magoon
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
| | - Claire Beamish
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Nadia Dowshen
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Aletha Akers
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Myers PL, Park RH, Sherina V, Bossert RP. Knowledge is power: Providing previsit insurance coverage information of body contouring procedures to improve understanding and satisfaction in the massive weight loss patient. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg 2019; 73:571-575. [PMID: 31796263 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjps.2019.09.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Because of the prevalence of obesity worldwide, the rates of bariatric surgery are increasing. Bariatric surgery is covered by insurance; however, often, a surgery to correct massive weight loss surgeries is not covered despite patient perception. METHODS One hundred patients were identified by their initial visit to the institutional Life After Weight Loss center. Fifty of them were randomized into receiving previsit educational materials about their individual insurance plans. All the patients were surveyed to assess whether this education improved their understanding and overall consultation experience. RESULTS Although a majority of patients believed "panniculectomy" would be covered by insurance, most subjects overestimated insurance coverage for other procedures. Nearly all respondents (93.8%) agreed that previsit educational material improved their understanding and the satisfaction of the visit. CONCLUSION Many patients believe body contouring procedures to be covered by insurance, although most are not. By providing patients with their individualized insurance plans, patients report improved understanding and overall satisfaction with the consultation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige L Myers
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Rochester, Rochester NY 14642, United States
| | - Rachel H Park
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Rochester, Rochester NY 14642, United States
| | - Valeriia Sherina
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester NY, United States
| | - Ronald P Bossert
- Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Rochester, Rochester NY 14642, United States.
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Ngaage LM, Rose J, Pace L, Kambouris AR, Rada EM, Kligman MD, Rasko YM. A Review of National Insurance Coverage of Post-bariatric Upper Body Lift. Aesthetic Plast Surg 2019; 43:1250-6. [PMID: 31240337 DOI: 10.1007/s00266-019-01420-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Recent years have seen an increased utilisation of upper body lift following massive weight loss. Although it is typically considered cosmetic, the recurrent skin conditions and decline in quality of life may warrant medical necessity. We evaluated current insurance coverage and characterised policy criteria for upper body lift in the post-bariatric population. METHODS We defined upper body lift as a combination of mastopexy and upper back excision (UBE) and conducted a cross-sectional analysis of US insurance policies. Insurance companies were selected based on their enrolment data and market share. A web-based search and telephone interviews were conducted to identify the policy. Criteria were abstracted from the publicly available policies that offered coverage. RESULTS Of the 56 insurance companies assessed, 5% would consider coverage of both procedures. Although fewer companies held established policies for UBE than mastopexy in the post-bariatric population (79% vs 96%, p = 0.0081), there were significantly more policies that offered pre-approval for UBE than for mastopexy (30% vs 5%, p = 0.0017). Three medical necessity criteria were common to both procedures: evidence of functional impairment, secondary skin conditions, and medical photographs. CONCLUSION Policy criteria for coverage of mastopexy or UBE differ greatly between companies. Further evaluation of medical necessity criteria for post-bariatric mastopexy and UBE with the establishment of a standardised guideline is needed. We propose a comprehensive list of reporting recommendations to help optimise authorisation of upper body lift in the post-bariatric population, and we urge plastic surgeons to challenge current definition of "cosmetic" by insurance companies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
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Pandolfino J, Lipham J, Chawla A, Ferko N, Hogan A, Qadeer RA. A budget impact analysis of a magnetic sphincter augmentation device for the treatment of medication-refractory mechanical gastroesophageal reflux disease: a United States payer perspective. Surg Endosc 2019; 34:1561-1572. [PMID: 31559575 DOI: 10.1007/s00464-019-06916-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medication-refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is sometimes treated with laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication (LNF); however, this is a non-reversible procedure associated with important side effects and the need for repeat surgery. Removable magnetic sphincter augmentation (MSA) devices are an alternative, effective, and safe treatment option for such patients who have some lower esophageal sphincter function. The objective of this study was to assess the economic impact of introducing MSA technology (i.e., LINX Reflux Management System) into current practice from a US-payer perspective. METHODS An economic budget impact model was developed over a 1-year time horizon that compared current treatment of GERD patients who are medically managed (but refractory) or receiving LNF to future treatment of GERD patients that included a mix of patients treated with medical management only, LNF, or MSA. Resources included within the analyses were index procedures (inpatient and outpatient use), reoperations (revisions and removals), readmissions, healthcare visits, diagnostic tests, procedures, and medications. Medicare payment rates were typically used to inform unit costs. RESULTS Assuming a hypothetical commercial insurance population of 1 million members, the base-case analysis estimated a net cost savings of $111,367 with introduction of the MSA. This translates to a savings of $0.01 per member per month. Results were largely driven by avoided inpatient procedures with use of the MSA device. Alternative analyses exploring the potential impact of increasing surgical volumes predicted that results would remain cost saving if the proportion of MSA market share taken from LNF was ≥ 90%. CONCLUSIONS This study predicts that the introduction of the MSA device would lead to favorable budget impact results for the treatment of medication-refractory mechanical GERD for commercial payers. Future analyses will benefit from inclusion of middle-ground treatments as well as longer time horizons.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Pandolfino
- Department of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 676 N Saint Clair, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
| | - John Lipham
- Department of Surgery, Keck Medical Center of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Nicole Ferko
- Cornerstone Research Group Inc, Burlington, ON, Canada
| | - Andrew Hogan
- Cornerstone Research Group Inc, Burlington, ON, Canada
| | - Rana A Qadeer
- Cornerstone Research Group Inc, Burlington, ON, Canada
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