Impact of Fee For Service on the Efficiency and Survival of Seguro Popular's Patients With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Mexico.

PURPOSE: Cost containment and efficiency in the provision of health care are primary concerns for health systems that aim to provide affordable, high-quality care. Between 2005 and 2015, Seguro Poplar's Fund against Catastrophic Expenditures (FPGC) funded ALL treatment in Mexico. Before January 1, 2011, FPGC reimbursed a fixed amount per patient according to risk. In 2011, the per capita reimbursement method changed to fee for service. We used this natural experiment to estimate the impact of the reimbursement policy change on average expenditure and quality of care for ALL treatment in Mexico. METHODS: We used nationwide reimbursement data from the Seguro Poplar's FPGC from 2005 to 2015. We created a patient cohort to assess 3-year survival and estimate the average reimbursement before and after the fee-for-service policy. We examined survival and expenditure impacts, controlling for patients' and providers' characteristics, including sex, risk (standard and high), the volume of patients served, type of institution (federally funded v other), and level of care. To quantify the impact, we used a regression discontinuity approach. RESULTS: The average reimbursement for standard-risk patients in the 3-year survival cohort was $16,512 US dollars (USD; 95% CI, 16,042 to 17,032) before 2011 and $10,205 USD (95% CI, 4,659 to 12,541) under the fee-for-service reimbursement scheme after 2011. The average annual reimbursement per patient decreased by 136% among high-risk patients. The reduction was also significant for the standard-risk cohort, although the magnitude was substantially smaller (34%). CONCLUSION: As Mexico's government is currently restructuring the health system, our study provides evidence of the efficiency and effectiveness of the funding mechanism in the Mexican context. It also serves as a proof of concept for using administrative data to evaluate economic performance and quality of care of publicly funded health programs.

Breast cancer survival in Mexico between 2007 and 2016 in women without social security: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Essential indicators of health system performance for breast cancer are lacking in Mexico. We estimated survival and clinical stage distribution for women without social insurance who were treated under a health financing scheme that covered 60% of the Mexican population. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study cross-linking reimbursement claims for 56,847 women treated for breast cancer between 2007 and 2016 to a mortality registry. We estimated overall- and clinical stage-specific survival and breast cancer survival according to patient age, state of residence, marginalization, type of treatment facility, and patient volume of the treatment facility. We also explored the distribution of clinical stage according to age, year of treatment initiation, and state where the woman was treated. We used log-rank tests and estimated 95% CIs to compare differences between patient groups. Findings: Median age was 52 years (interquartile range [IQR] 45, 61) (Sixty five percent patients (36,731/56,847) had advanced disease at treatment initiation. Five-year overall survival was 72.2% (95% CI 71.7, 72.6). For early disease (excluding stage 0), 5-year overall survival was 89.0% (95% CI 88.4, 89.5), for locally advanced disease 69.9% (95% CI 69.0, 70.2) and for metastatic 36.9% (95% CI 35.4, 38.4). Clinical stage at treatment initiation and breast cancer survival remained unchanged in the period analyzed. Clinical stage and survival differed across age groups, state of residence, and type of facility where women received treatment. Interpretation: In the absence of population-based cancer registries, medical claims data may be efficiently leveraged to estimate essential cancer-related performance indicators. Funding: The authors received no financial support for this research.

Adjusted horizontal stacked bar graphs ("Grotta bars") for consistent presentation of observational stroke study results.

Background: Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores are used to measure functional outcomes after stroke. Researchers create horizontal stacked bar graphs (nicknamed "Grotta bars") to illustrate distributional differences in scores between groups. In well-conducted randomized controlled trials, Grotta bars have a causal interpretation. However, the common practice of exclusively presenting unadjusted Grotta bars in observational studies can be misleading in the presence of confounding. We demonstrated this problem and a possible solution using an empirical comparison of 3-month mRS scores among stroke/TIA patients discharged home versus elsewhere after hospitalization. Patients and methods: Using data from the Berlin-based B-SPATIAL registry, we estimated the probability of being discharged home conditional on prespecified measured confounding factors and generated stabilized inverse probability of treatment (IPT) weights for each patient. We visualized mRS distributions by group with Grotta bars for the IPT-weighted population in which measured confounding was removed. We then used ordinal logistic regression to quantify unadjusted and adjusted associations between being discharged home and the 3-month mRS score. Results: Of 3184 eligible patients, 2537 (79.7%) were discharged home. In the unadjusted analyses, those discharged home had considerably lower mRS compared with patients discharged elsewhere (common odds ratio, cOR = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.11-0.15). After removing measured confounding, we obtained substantially different mRS distributions, visually apparent in the adjusted Grotta bars. No statistically significant association was found after confounding adjustment (cOR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.60-1.12). Discussion and conclusion: The practice of presenting only unadjusted stacked bar graphs for mRS scores together with adjusted effect estimates in observational studies can be misleading. IPT weighting can be implemented to create Grotta bars that account for measured confounding, which are more consistent with the presentation of adjusted results in observational studies.

Ten simple rules for implementing open and reproducible research practices after attending a training course.

Open, reproducible, and replicable research practices are a fundamental part of science. Training is often organized on a grassroots level, offered by early career researchers, for early career researchers. Buffet style courses that cover many topics can inspire participants to try new things; however, they can also be overwhelming. Participants who want to implement new practices may not know where to start once they return to their research team. We describe ten simple rules to guide participants of relevant training courses in implementing robust research practices in their own projects, once they return to their research group. This includes (1) prioritizing and planning which practices to implement, which involves obtaining support and convincing others involved in the research project of the added value of implementing new practices; (2) managing problems that arise during implementation; and (3) making reproducible research and open science practices an integral part of a future research career. We also outline strategies that course organizers can use to prepare participants for implementation and support them during this process.

mHealth: experiences and opportunities for cancer research in Mexico.

Not available.

Supervivencia y factores asociados en pacientes con cáncer cervicouterino atendidas por el Seguro Popular en México.

 Objetivo. Estimar la supervivencia a cinco años por cáncer cervicouterino y sus factores asociados en pacientes mexica-nas, cuya atención fue financiada por el Fondo de Protección contra Gastos Catastróficos (FPGC) del Seguro Popular durante el periodo 2006-2014. Material y métodos. Se analizó la base de datos de las pacientes mencionadas y se vinculó con el Subsistema Epidemiológico y Estadístico de Defunciones. Se hizo un análisis de supervivencia a cinco años por etapa clínica y factores asociados, mediante el método de Kaplan-Meier y los modelos de riesgos proporcionales de Cox. Resultados. La supervivencia global por cáncer cervicouterino a los cinco años fue de 68.5%. Los factores asociados fueron la etapa clínica (locoregional [HR=2.8 IC95% HR: 2.6,3.0] y metastásica [HR=5.4 IC95% HR: 4.9,5.9]) com-parada con la etapa temprana y la edad (HR=1.003 IC95% HR:1.001,1.004). Conclusiones. Las mujeres que lograron el acceso a la atención del cáncer cervical financiadas por el FPGC tuvieron una supervivencia ligeramente superior a las reportadas en otros estudios.

Supervivencia y factores asociados en pacientes con cáncer cervicouterino atendidas por el Seguro Popular en México / Survival analysis and associated factors in patients with cervical cancer financed by the Seguro Popular in Mexico

Resumen: Objetivo: Estimar la supervivencia a cinco años por cáncer cervicouterino y sus factores asociados en pacientes mexicanas, cuya atención fue financiada por el Fondo de Protección contra Gastos Catastróficos (FPGC) del Seguro Popular durante el periodo 2006-2014. Material y métodos: Se analizó la base de datos de las pacientes mencionadas y se vinculó con el Subsistema Epidemiológico y Estadístico de Defunciones. Se hizo un análisis de supervivencia a cinco años por etapa clínica y factores asociados, mediante el método de Kaplan-Meier y los modelos de riesgos proporcionales de Cox. Resultados: La supervivencia global por cáncer cervicouterino a los cinco años fue de 68.5%. Los factores asociados fueron la etapa clínica (locoregional [HR=2.8 IC95% HR: 2.6,3.0] y metastásica [HR=5.4 IC95% HR: 4.9,5.9]) comparada con la etapa temprana y la edad (HR=1.003 IC95% HR:1.001,1.004). Conclusiones: Las mujeres que lograron el acceso a la atención del cáncer cervical financiadas por el FPGC tuvieron una supervivencia ligeramente superior a las reportadas en otros estudios.

Abstract: Objective: Estimate five-year survival from cervical cancer and associated factors in Mexican patients financed by Seguro Popular during the period 2006-2014. Materials and methods: We analyzed the database of patients financed by the Catastrophic Expenses Protection Fund and linked it to the Statistical and Epidemiological System of mortality. We performed a five-year survival analysis by clinical stage and associated factors, using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Overall survival for cervical cancer at five years was 68.5%. The associated factors were the clinical stage: locoregional (HR=2.8 CI95% HR: 2.6,3.0) and metastatic (HR=5.4 CI95% HR: 4.9,5.9) compared to early stage and age (HR=1.003 CI95% HR:1.001,1.004). Conclusions: Women who gained access to Catastrophic Expenses Protection Fund cervical cancer care had similar survival than that reported in other studies.

Patient and treatment delays among Mexican women with breast cancer before and after the Seguro Popular / Retrasos del paciente y del tratamiento en mujeres mexicanas con cáncer de mama antes y después del Seguro Popular

Abstract: Objective: To assess whether the Catastrophic Health Expenditures Fund (FPGC, Spanish acronym) was associated with delays in seeking medical care and in starting treatment. Materials and methods: We conducted a before and after cross-sectional study. We included 266 women with breast cancer (BC) diagnosis treated during the last three years before the hospitals received the FPGC and 309 women treated in the following three years after the fund was received by the accredited hospitals. Results: After adjusting for potential confounders, we found no association between the FPGC and delay in seeking medical care or between the FPGC and the treatment delay. Conclusions: The FPGC initiative reduced neither the delay in seeking breast cancer medical care for breast cancer nor the treatment delay.

Resumen: Objetivo: Evaluar si el Fondo de Protección contra Gastos Catastróficos en Salud (FPGC) se asoció con retrasos en la búsqueda de atención médica e inicio del tratamiento. Material y métodos: Estudio transversal antes y después, que incluyó 266 mujeres con diagnóstico de cáncer de mama (CM) tratadas durante los últimos tres años previos a que los hospitales recibieran el FPGC y 309 mujeres tratadas en los siguientes tres años posteriores a que los hospitales recibieran el fondo. Resultados: El FPGC no se asoció con el retraso en la búsqueda de atención médica ni con el retraso del inicio del tratamiento. Conclusiones: El FPGC no redujo el retraso en la búsqueda de atención médica por CM ni el retraso del inicio del tratamiento.

Excess Deaths in Mexico City and New York City During the COVID-19 Pandemic, March to August 2020.

Objectives. To estimate all-cause excess deaths in Mexico City (MXC) and New York City (NYC) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. We estimated expected deaths among residents of both cities between March 1 and August 29, 2020, using log-linked negative binomial regression and compared these deaths with observed deaths during the same period. We calculated total and age-specific excess deaths and 95% prediction intervals (PIs). Results. There were 259 excess deaths per 100 000 (95% PI = 249, 269) in MXC and 311 (95% PI = 305, 318) in NYC during the study period. The number of excess deaths among individuals 25 to 44 years old was much higher in MXC (77 per 100 000; 95% PI = 69, 80) than in NYC (34 per 100 000; 95% PI = 30, 38). Corresponding estimates among adults 65 years or older were 1263 (95% PI = 1199, 1317) per 100 000 in MXC and 1581 (95% PI = 1549, 1621) per 100 000 in NYC. Conclusions. Overall, excess mortality was higher in NYC than in MXC; however, the excess mortality rate among young adults was higher in MXC. Public Health Implications. Excess all-cause mortality comparisons across populations and age groups may represent a more complete measure of pandemic effects and provide information on mitigation strategies and susceptibility factors. (Am J Public Health. 2021;111(10): 1847-1850. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306430).

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Survival in Children Covered by Seguro Popular in Mexico: A National Comprehensive Analysis 2005-2017.

The aim of the study was to measure survival of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) under Mexico's public health insurance for the population treated under Seguro Popular. A retrospective cohort study using claims data from Mexico's Seguro Popular program, covering cancer treatment from 2005 to 2015 was conducted. Overall 5-year national and state-specific survival for children with ALL across Mexico who initiated cancer treatment under this program was estimated. From 2005 to 2015, 8,977 children with ALL initiated treatment under Seguro Popular. Under this financing scheme, the annual number of treated children doubled from 535 in 2005 to 1,070 in 2015. The estimates for 5-year overall survival of 61.8% (95%CI 60.8, 62.9) remained constant over time. We observed wide gaps in risk-standardized 5-year overall survival among states ranging from 74.7% to 43.7%. We found a higher risk of mortality for children who received treatment in a non-pediatric specialty hospital (Hazards Ratio, HR = 1.18; 95%CI 1.09, 1.26), facilities without a pediatric oncology/hematology specialist (HR = 2.17; 95%CI 1.62, 2.90), and hospitals with low patient volume (HR = 1.22; 95%CI 1.13, 1.32). In a decade Mexico's Seguro Popular doubled access to ALL treatment for covered children and by 2015 financed the vast majority of estimated ALL cases for that population. While some progress in ALL survival may have been achieved, nationwide 5-year overall survival did not improve over time and did not achieve levels found in comparable countries. Our results provide lessons for Mexico's evolving health system and for countries moving toward universal health coverage.

Patient and treatment delays among Mexican women with breast cancer before and after the Seguro Popular.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the Catastrophic Health Expenditures Fund (FPGC, Spanish acronym) was associated with delays in seeking medical care and in starting treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a before and after cross-sectional study. We included 266 women with breast cancer (BC) diagnosis treated during the last three years before the hospitals received the FPGC and 309 wo-men treated in the following three years after the fund was received by the accredited hospitals. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, we found no association between the FPGC and delay in seeking medical care or between the FPGC and the treatment delay. CONCLUSIONS: The FPGC initiative reduced neither the delay in seeking breast cancer medical care for breast cancer nor the treatment delay.

Using Brain Oscillations and Corticospinal Excitability to Understand and Predict Post-Stroke Motor Function.

What determines motor recovery in stroke is still unknown and finding markers that could predict and improve stroke recovery is a challenge. In this study, we aimed at understanding the neural mechanisms of motor function recovery after stroke using neurophysiological markers by means of cortical excitability (transcranial magnetic stimulation-TMS) and brain oscillations (electroencephalography-EEG). In this cross-sectional study, 55 subjects with chronic stroke (62 ± 14 yo, 17 women, 32 ± 42 months post-stroke) were recruited in two sites. We analyzed TMS measures (i.e., motor threshold-MT-of the affected and unaffected sides) and EEG variables (i.e., power spectrum in different frequency bands and different brain regions of the affected and unaffected hemispheres) and their correlation with motor impairment as measured by Fugl-Meyer. Multiple univariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to identify the predictors of good motor function. A significant interaction effect of MT in the affected hemisphere and power in beta bandwidth over the central region for both affected and unaffected hemispheres was found. We identified that motor function positively correlates with beta rhythm over the central region of the unaffected hemisphere, while it negatively correlates with beta rhythm in the affected hemisphere. Our results suggest that cortical activity in the affected and unaffected hemisphere measured by EEG provides new insights on the association between high-frequency rhythms and motor impairment, highlighting the role of an excess of beta in the affected central cortical region in poor motor function in stroke recovery.