Mental Health Referrals Among Medicare Advantage Enrollees Receiving Home-Based Annual Wellness Visits in Puerto Rico During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Annual Wellness Visits (AWV) promote preventive care for older adults, yet uptake remains low. To increase AWVs, a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan in Puerto Rico contracted a medical group to provide home-based AWVs during the last quarter of 2020. Using data from 464 visits, we conducted descriptive and multivariable analysis to profile patient characteristics and identify predictors of mental health referrals. We found that 87% of patients had multiple chronic conditions, 75% were taking more than 5 medications, and the odds of a mental health referral were higher for those who also had a nutrition-related condition (AOR = 5.05, CI95: 1.76-11.88), diabetes (AOR = 3.34, CI95: 1.18-7.58), or an additional reported uncontrolled health issue (AOR = 28.18, CI95: 8.96-70.59). This strategy helped one MA plan reach high-need patients, but coordination of follow-up care is needed to ensure patients receive recommended services.

Real-world impact of empagliflozin on total cost of care in adults with type 2 diabetes: Results from an outcomes-based agreement.

BACKGROUND: Value-based health care is expanding through payment models such as outcomes-based agreements between manufacturers and payers. OBJECTIVE: To describe the total-cost-of-care outcomes of an outcomes-based agreement evaluating the real-world impact of empagliflozin vs other type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) drugs among all patients with T2DM, with and without cardiovascular disease (within and beyond the requirement of the agreement). METHODS: In this prospective real-world analysis, members from the health plan of an integrated health care delivery system from the commercial and Medicare Advantage lines of business, who qualify under the confines of the contract, were included for analysis. Thus, members aged 18 years and older who were continuously enrolled in the identification (January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018) and measurement periods (≤1 year post-index) with a T2DM diagnosis were retained. Patients using empagliflozin and empagliflozin-combination drugs constituted the empagliflozin group; those using all other antihyperglycemics, the nonempagliflozin group. Patients with type 1 diabetes, or those using metformin or insulin monotherapy, at index were excluded. Eligible members were followed for up to the earliest occurrence of disenrollment date, discontinuation (60-day medication fill gap allowed) of empagliflozin (or nonempagliflozin containing) medication, or the end of the measurement period. We compared, using Student's t-test and summary statistics (for reporting the outcomes agreement) and a propensity-matched difference-in-difference model (for the followup evaluation beyond the requirement of the agreement), the mean all-cause total cost of care (pharmacy plus medical) per patient per month (PPPM) between the 2 groups, including a subgroup of members with a baseline cardiovascular disease diagnosis. RESULTS: There were 4,577 (3,069 and 1,508 in the commercial and Medicare) and 33,712 (15,571 and 18,141 in the commercial and Medicare) in the empagliflozin and nonempagliflozin groups, respectively. The difference in mean total cost PPPM was $75 lower for empagliflozin vs nonempagliflozin groups, driven mainly by lower medical costs in the empagliflozin group (-$465 PPPM). However, the difference was not statistically significant in the propensity score-matched model. CONCLUSIONS: Although empagliflozin had higher pharmacy costs, the total cost of care for patients with T2DM and with established cardiovascular disease were comparable to the group of patients with all other T2DM, driven mainly by lower medical costs. DISCLOSURES: The authors report no conflicts of interest beyond being employees of the 2 organizations involved in this outcomes-based agreement. Ms. Palli is a former employee of Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., who was affiliated at the time of study conduct.

Association of Medicare Advantage Star Ratings With Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Hospitalizations for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions.

BACKGROUND: Enrollment in high-quality Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, measured by a 5-star quality rating system, was lower among racial and ethnic minority enrollees than White enrollees partly due to fewer high-quality plans available in their counties of residence. This may contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in ambulatory care sensitive condition (ACSC) hospitalizations. OBJECTIVE: We examined whether there were racial and ethnic disparities in ACSC hospitalizations among MA enrollees overall and by star rating. METHODS: Using the Medicare enrollment and claims data for 2016, we identified White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander enrollees in MA plans. We estimated racial and ethnic disparities in ACSC hospitalizations (per 10,000 enrollees) overall and by star rating. RESULTS: We found that the adjusted rates of ACSC hospitalizations were significantly higher among Black enrollees than White enrollees overall [39.4 (95% confidence interval: 36.3-42.5)]. However, no significant disparities were found among Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islander enrollees. The adjusted rates of ACSC hospitalizations were higher in lower-rated plans than higher-rated plans in all racial and ethnic groups. The significant disparities in ACSC hospitalizations by star rating were the most pronounced between White and Black enrollees. We found suggestive evidence that enrollment in lower-rated plans was associated with higher disparities in ACSC hospitalizations between White and Black enrollees. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial disparities in ACSC hospitalizations exist between White and Black enrollees in MA plans, especially for lower-rated plans. Policies aimed at reducing racial disparities in ACSC hospitalizations could include improving access to high-rated plans.

Medicare Advantage Financing and Quality in Puerto Rico vs the 50 US States and Washington, DC.

Importance: More than 70% of Medicare beneficiaries in Puerto Rico are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan. Evidence of MA plan payments and quality in Puerto Rico compared with the 50 US states and Washington, DC (hereafter referred to as US mainland), is lacking, notably after implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Objective: To compare MA plan payments and quality in Puerto Rico with those in the US mainland and to evaluate how differences between MA plans in Puerto Rico and the US mainland changed after ACA implementation. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used publicly available data on MA plans from January 1, 2006, to December 31, 2019, from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Data analysis was performed from October 2019 to February 2022. Exposures: Medicare Advantage plans in Puerto Rico and implementation of the ACA. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes were risk-standardized federal benchmark payments (the amount offered by the federal government for insuring a beneficiary of average risk), risk-standardized plan bids (a plan's asking price for a beneficiary of average risk), and rebates received by plans. Additional outcomes included risk-adjusted benchmarks, risk-adjusted bids, actual plan payment, and aggregate plan quality ratings (star ratings). A difference-in-differences analysis examined differential changes in plan payments in Puerto Rico vs the US mainland after ACA implementation. Results: Before ACA implementation, 211 MA plans in Puerto Rico and 13 899 plans in the US mainland were included. After ACA implementation, 433 MA plans in Puerto Rico and 29 515 plans in the US mainland were included. Before ACA implementation, risk-standardized benchmarks were 33% lower for MA plans in Puerto Rico than plans in the US mainland ($556.73 [95% CI, $551.82-$561.64] vs $831.15 [95% CI, $828.55-$833.75] per beneficiary per month [PBPM]). This gap increased to 38% after ACA implementation ($540.58 [95% CI, $536.86-$544.32] vs $869.31 [95% CI, $868.21-$870.42] PBPM). Risk-standardized plan bids in Puerto Rico were 46% lower before ACA implementation and 43% lower after ACA implementation compared with those in the US mainland. Rebates in Puerto Rico decreased from $168.50 (95% CI, $163.57-$173.42) PBPM before ACA implementation to $93.39 (95% CI, $89.51-$97.27) PBPM after ACA implementation, a decrease of $75.11 PMPM compared with a decrease of $2.05 PMPM in the US mainland. Plans in Puerto Rico received increased quality bonus payments, and the mean (SD) risk score for plans in Puerto Rico increased to 1.55 (0.31) after ACA implementation, which increased risk-adjusted benchmarks and actual plan payments, offsetting the widening payment disparity. Conclusions and Relevance: This cohort study found that after implementation of the ACA, federal benchmark payment amounts decreased in Puerto Rico compared with the US mainland. Responses by MA plans in Puerto Rico, including increased quality bonus payments and risk scores, offset this payment reduction, although actual plan payments in Puerto Rico were lower than those in the US mainland.

Diabetes Care Among Older Adults Enrolled in Medicare Advantage Versus Traditional Medicare Fee-For-Service Plans: The Diabetes Collaborative Registry.

OBJECTIVE: Medicare Advantage (MA), Medicare's managed care program, is quickly expanding, yet little is known about diabetes care quality delivered under MA compared with traditional fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries ≥65 years old enrolled in the Diabetes Collaborative Registry from 2014 to 2019 with type 2 diabetes treated with one or more antihyperglycemic therapies. Quality measures, cardiometabolic risk factor control, and antihyperglycemic prescription patterns were compared between Medicare plan groups, adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical factors. RESULTS: Among 345,911 Medicare beneficiaries, 229,598 (66%) were enrolled in FFS and 116,313 (34%) in MA plans (for ≥1 month). MA beneficiaries were more likely to receive ACE inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers for coronary artery disease, tobacco cessation counseling, and screening for retinopathy, foot care, and kidney disease (adjusted P ≤ 0.001 for all). MA beneficiaries had modestly but significantly higher systolic blood pressure (+0.2 mmHg), LDL cholesterol (+2.6 mg/dL), and HbA1c (+0.1%) (adjusted P < 0.01 for all). MA beneficiaries were independently less likely to receive glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (6.9% vs. 9.0%; adjusted odds ratio 0.80, 95% CI 0.77-0.84) and sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (5.4% vs. 6.7%; adjusted odds ratio 0.91, 95% CI 0.87-0.95). When integrating Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services-linked data from 2014 to 2017 and more recent unlinked data from the Diabetes Collaborative Registry through 2019 (total N = 411,465), these therapeutic differences persisted, including among subgroups with established cardiovascular and kidney disease. CONCLUSIONS: While MA plans enable greater access to preventive care, this may not translate to improved intermediate health outcomes. MA beneficiaries are also less likely to receive newer antihyperglycemic therapies with proven outcome benefits in high-risk individuals. Long-term health outcomes under various Medicare plans requires surveillance.

Comparison of oral anticoagulation use and adherence among Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in stand-alone prescription drug plans vs Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans.

BACKGROUND: For atrial fibrillation (AF) patients, oral anticoagulants (OACs) can reduce the risk of stroke by 60%; however, nearly 50% of patients recommended to receive OACs do not receive therapy. Integrated insurers that cover pharmacy and medical benefits may be incentivized to improve OAC use and adherence because they benefit from offsets in medical costs associated with prevented strokes. OBJECTIVE: To compare OAC use and adherence between AF patients enrolled in Medicare stand-alone prescription drug plans (PDPs), which only cover pharmacy benefits, and those enrolled in Medicare Advantage prescription drug (MAPD) plans, which cover medical and pharmacy benefits. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study, conducted using 2014-2016 Medicare claims data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and a large regional health plan in Pennsylvania. Primary outcomes included OAC use and OAC adherence. OAC use was measured as filling at least 1 prescription for an OAC after AF diagnosis. OAC adherence was defined as having greater than or equal to 80% of days covered with an OAC. We constructed conditional logistic regression models in propensity score-matched samples to test the association between enrollment in PDPs or MAPD plans and outcomes. RESULTS: There were 2,551 AF patients enrolled in PDPs and 4,502 in MAPD plans before propensity score matching. The propensity score-matched sample included 2,537 patients in each group. OAC use was higher among MAPD beneficiaries (74%-76%) compared with PDP beneficiaries (70%; P < 0.001), and 41%-42% of MAPD beneficiaries were adherent to OACs, compared with 34% of PDP beneficiaries (P < 0.001). In adjusted analyses among propensity score-matched samples, PDP enrollment was associated with lower odds of OAC use (OR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.56-0.81) and adherence (OR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.59-0.78) compared with MAPD enrollment. CONCLUSIONS: AF patients enrolled in MAPD plans were more likely to use and adhere to OACs compared with PDP enrollees. These results may reflect the financial incentives of MAPD plans to improve guideline-recommended OAC use, since MAPD insurers bear the risk of pharmacy and medical costs and thus may benefit from cost savings associated with averted stroke events. As efforts to improve use and adherence of OACs in AF patients increase, focus should be given to how insurance benefit designs can affect medication use. DISCLOSURES: No outside funding supported this study. Hernandez has received personal fees from BMS and Pfizer, unrelated to this study. The other authors have nothing to disclose.

Racial Disparities in Avoidable Hospitalizations in Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

IMPORTANCE: Compared with traditional Medicare (TM), Medicare Advantage (MA) has the potential to reduce racial disparities in hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC). As racial disparities may be partly attributable to unequal treatment based on where people live, this suggests the need of examining geographic variations in racial disparities. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine differences in ACSC hospitalizations between White and Black beneficiaries in TM and MA and examine geographic variations in racial differences in ACSC hospitalizations in TM and MA. METHODS: We analyzed the 2015-2016 Medicare Provider Analysis and Review files. We used propensity score matching to account for differences in characteristics between TM and MA beneficiaries. Then, we conducted linear regression and estimated adjusted outcomes for TM and MA beneficiaries by race. Also, we estimated racial differences in adjusted outcomes by insurance and hospital referral region (HRR). RESULTS: While White beneficiaries in TM and MA had similar rates of ACSC hospitalizations (163.7 vs. 162.2/10,000 beneficiaries), Black beneficiaries in MA had higher rates of ACSC hospitalizations than Black beneficiaries in TM (221.2 vs. 209.3/10,000 beneficiaries). However, the racial differences were greater in MA than TM (59.0 vs. 45.6/10,000 beneficiaries). Racial differences in ACSC hospitalizations in MA were prevalent across almost all HRRs. 95.5% of HRRs had higher rates of ACSC hospitalizations among Black beneficiaries than White beneficiaries in MA relative to just 54.2% of HRRs in TM. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide evidence of racial disparities in access to high-quality primary care, especially in MA.

Rates of Disenrollment From Medicare Advantage Plans Are Higher for Racial/Ethnic Minority Beneficiaries.

BACKGROUND: Each year, about 10% of Medicare Advantage (MA) enrollees voluntarily switch to another MA contract, while another 2% voluntarily switch from MA to fee-for-service Medicare. Voluntary disenrollment from MA plans is related to beneficiaries' negative experiences with their plan, disrupts the continuity of care, and conflicts with goals to reduce Medicare costs. Little is known about racial/ethnic disparities in voluntary disenrollment from MA plans. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate differences in rates of voluntary disenrollment from MA plans by race/ethnicity. SUBJECTS: A total of 116,770,319 beneficiaries enrolled in 736 MA plans in 2015. METHODS: Differences in rates of disenrollment across racial/ethnic groups [Asian or Pacific Islander (API), Black, Hispanic, and White] were summarized using 4 types of logistic regression models: adjusted and unadjusted models estimating overall differences and adjusted and unadjusted models estimating within-plan differences. Unadjusted overall models included only racial/ethnic group probabilities as predictors. Adjusted overall models added age, sex, dual eligibility, disability, and state of residence as control variables. Between-plan differences were estimated by subtracting within-plan differences from overall differences. RESULTS: Adjusted rates of disenrollment were significantly (P<0.001) higher for Hispanic (+1.2 percentage points), Black (+1.2 percentage points), and API beneficiaries (+2.4 percentage points) than for Whites. Within states, all 3 racial/ethnic minority groups tended to be concentrated in higher disenrollment plans. Within plans, API beneficiaries voluntarily disenrolled considerably more often than otherwise similar White beneficiaries. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest the need to address cost, information, and other factors that may create barriers to racial/ethnic minority beneficiaries' enrollment in plans with lower overall disenrollment rates.

Differences in Health Care Utilization, Process of Diabetes Care, Care Satisfaction, and Health Status in Patients With Diabetes in Medicare Advantage Versus Traditional Medicare.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine differences in health care utilization, process of diabetes care, care satisfaction, and health status for Medicare Advantage (MA) and traditional Medicare (TM) beneficiaries with and without diabetes. METHODS: Using the 2010-2016 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, we identified MA and TM beneficiaries with and without diabetes. To address the endogenous plan choice between MA and TM, we used an instrumental variable approach. Using marginal effects, we estimated differences in the outcomes between MA and TM beneficiaries with and without diabetes. RESULTS: Our instrumental variable analysis showed that compared with TM beneficiaries with diabetes, MA beneficiaries with diabetes had less annual health care utilization, including -22.4 medical provider visits [95% confidence interval (CI): -23.6 to -21.1] and -3.4 outpatient hospital visits (95% CI: -3.8 to -3.0). A significant difference between MA and TM beneficiaries without diabetes was only observed in medical provider visits and the difference was greater among beneficiaries with diabetes than beneficiaries without diabetes (-12.5 medical provider visits; 95% CI: -15.9 to -9.2). While we did not detect significant differences in 5 measures of the process of diabetes care between MA and TM beneficiaries with diabetes, there were inconsistent results in the other 3 measures. There were no or marginal differences in care satisfaction and health status between MA and TM beneficiaries with and without diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: MA enrollment was associated with lower health care utilization without compromising care satisfaction and health status, particularly for beneficiaries with diabetes. MA may have a more efficient care delivery system for beneficiaries with diabetes.

A retrospective study of drug utilization and hospital readmissions among Medicare patients with hepatic encephalopathy.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a complication occurring in patients with cirrhosis and is associated with neuropsychiatric and motor abnormalities. Symptomatic HE episodes almost always require hospitalization and the frequent recurrence of episodes is associated with poor prognosis and increased medical costs. The utilization of existing therapies for management of HE and adherence to them has yet to be evaluated using real-world claims data.The aim of this study was to evaluate HE drug regimens and adherence and their association with hospital readmissions in Medicare Advantage plan patients.This was a retrospective cohort study of patients discharged from a HE-related hospitalization or emergency room visit. Based on subsequent enrollment in the plan they were categorized into cohorts of 1 month, 3, and 6 months follow-up, and medication regimen was evaluated within the first month. The drugs evaluated included lactulose, rifaximin, and neomycin. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to evaluate the association of drug regimen and medication adherence measured as proportion of days covered with HE readmissions.There were 347 patients hospitalized for HE with 184 patients having 30-day enrollment and either a drug refill or an outpatient visit in this duration. Medications were not refilled by 67 (36.4%) patients. Various drug regimens had different adherence with mean (standard deviation) proportion of days covered ranging from 0.56 (0.29) to 0.82 (0.16) at 3 months and 0.48 (0.3) to 0.77 (0.15) at 6 months. The results of logistic regression at 3 and 6 months did not show a significant association of medication use or medication adherence with hospital readmissions.Despite availability of therapy, medication utilization was alarmingly low after discharge of patients from HE-related hospitalization. Medication adherence was also low, which may affect the rate of recurrence and costs associated with readmissions. Efforts are needed in both care coordination of these patients to ensure they are prescribed appropriate medications and to enhance adherence to them.

Financial Performance of Medicare Advantage Contracts in 2014 and Plan Renewal, Consolidation, and Termination Rates in the Subsequent Year.

BACKGROUND: Starting in 2014, the Affordable Care Act mandated that Medicare Advantage (MA) contracts spend at least 85% of total revenue on claims and quality improvement [ie, the medical loss ratio (MLR)] and submit revenue and cost data annually in MLR reports. These reports can improve transparency of the financial performance of MA contracts. However, little is known about revenues and costs of insurers that participate in MA and its impacts on status changes in the following year. OBJECTIVE: To characterize revenues and costs of MA contracts in 2014, with a focus on MLRs and gross margins, and to assess heterogeneity in subsequent-year plan renewal and termination rates by gross margins. RESEARCH DESIGN: Cross-sectional data from MLR reports submitted in 2014 by MA contracts and from 2015 Part C & D Plan Crosswalk Files regarding plan renewal, termination, and other status changes from 2014 to 2015. SUBJECTS: Three hundred eighty-nine MA contracts. MEASURES: Primary outcomes are MLRs and gross margins. RESULTS: MLRs averaged 93% in 2014; 11% of contracts reported MLRs of at least 100%. Fifty-six percent reported negative margins, or costs that exceeded revenues. Seventeen percent of plans in contracts in the lowest quartile of gross margins were terminated in 2015, compared to under 5% of plans in the highest-margin contracts. CONCLUSIONS: In 2014, MA contracts reported MLRs greater than the mandatory minimum of 85%. Gross margins likely contribute to trends in plan and insurer availability. MLR reports from subsequent years can help explain fluctuations in insurers' participation in MA.

Disease-Specific Plan Switching Between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

INTRODUCTION: Previous research has reported switching from traditional Medicare (TM) to Medicare Advantage (MA) plans increased from 2006 to 2011 at the aggregate level, and switching from MA plans to TM also increased. However, little is known about switching behavior among individuals with specific chronic diseases. OBJECTIVE: To examine disease-specific switching patterns between TM and MA to understand the impact on MA plans. METHODS: Using the 2006 to 2012 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, we examined disease-specific switching rates between TM and MA and disease-specific ratios of mean baseline total Medicare expenditures of beneficiaries remaining in the same plan (stayers) vs those switching to another plan (switchers), respectively. We focused on beneficiaries with 1 or more of 10 incident diagnoses. RESULTS: Beneficiaries with a new diagnosis of Alzheimer disease and related dementias, hypertension, and psychiatric disorders had relatively high rates of switching into MA plans and low rates of switching out of MA plans. Among those with new diagnoses of psychiatric disorders and diabetes, more costly beneficiaries (those with higher costs) switched into MA plans. For cancer, more costly beneficiaries remained in MA plans. CONCLUSION: Together, these results suggest that MA plans may have not only higher caseloads but also a more costly case mix of beneficiaries with certain diseases than historically was the case. Our findings can help inform MA plans to understand their beneficiaries' disease burden and prepare for provision of relevant services.

Costs and Outcomes of Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare Beneficiaries After Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty.

INTRODUCTION: Medicare Advantage (MA) has increased popularity among eligible participants by providing additional benefits from a private insurer, but these plans are omitted from several government cost savings programs, including bundled payment models. The purpose of this study was to determine whether 90-day episode-of-care (EOC) costs and outcomes were different for patients with MA plans undergoing total joint arthroplasty compared with traditional Medicare patients. METHODS: We reviewed claims data for a consecutive series of patients undergoing primary total hip and knee arthroplasty from 2015 to 2018 at our institution with traditional Medicare coverage or MA through a single private insurer. Demographics, comorbidities, 90-day costs, readmissions, complications, and discharge disposition were compared between the groups. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine the independent effect of insurance status on EOC costs and outcomes. RESULTS: Of the 10,869 patients in the study, 1,076 (9.9%) were covered under an MA plan. MA patients were more likely to be discharged to a rehabilitation facility (19% versus 14%, P < 0.0001). No significant differences were observed in length of stay (1.88 versus 1.88 days, P = 0.1439), complications (3.9% versus 3.5%, P = 0.4554), or readmissions (5.9% versus 4.9%, P = 0.1893). EOC costs were significantly higher for the MA group ($21,347 versus $19,551, P < 0.0001). DISCUSSION: Patients with MA have higher total EOC costs than traditional Medicare beneficiaries with comparable short-term outcomes after total hip and knee arthroplasty. Further study is needed to determine whether alternative payment models in MA patients can improve care and reduce costs.

Can a More User-Friendly Medicare Plan Finder Improve Consumers' Selection of Medicare Plans?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy for consumers of two potential enhancements to the Medicare Plan Finder (MPF)-a simplified data display and a "quick links" home page designed to match the specific tasks that users seek to accomplish on the MPF. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING: Participants (N = 641) were seniors and adult caregivers of seniors who were recruited from a national online panel. Participants browsed a simulated version of the MPF, made a hypothetical plan choice, and reported on their experience. STUDY DESIGN: Participants were randomly assigned to one of eight conditions in a fully factorial design: 2 home pages (quick links, current MPF home page) × 2 data displays (simplified, current MPF display) × 2 plan types (stand-alone prescription drug plan [PDP], Medicare Advantage plan with prescription drug coverage [MA-PD]). PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The quick links page resulted in more favorable perceptions of the MPF, improved users' understanding of the information, and increased the probability of choosing the objectively best plan. The simplified data display resulted in a more favorable evaluation of the website, better comprehension of the displayed information, and, among those choosing a PDP only, an increased probability of choosing the best plan. CONCLUSIONS: Design enhancements could markedly improve average website users' understanding, ability to use, and experience of using the MPF.

Quality of Care for White and Hispanic Medicare Advantage Enrollees in the United States and Puerto Rico.

IMPORTANCE: Geographic, racial, and ethnic variations in quality of care and outcomes have been well documented among the Medicare population. Few data exist on beneficiaries living in Puerto Rico, three-quarters of whom enroll in Medicare Advantage (MA). OBJECTIVE: To determine the quality of care provided to white and Hispanic MA enrollees in the United States and Puerto Rico. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A cross-sectional study of MA enrollees in 2011 was conducted, including white enrollees in the United States (n = 6 289 374), Hispanic enrollees in the United States (n = 795 039), and Hispanic enrollees in Puerto Rico (n = 267 016). The study was conducted from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2011; data analysis took place from January 19, 2015, to January 2, 2016. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Seventeen performance measures related to diabetes mellitus (including hemoglobin A1c control, retinal eye examination, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol control, nephropathy screening, and blood pressure control), cardiovascular disease (including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol control, blood pressure control, and use of a ß-blocker after myocardial infarction), cancer screening (colorectal and breast), and appropriate medications (including systemic corticosteroids and bronchodilators for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs). RESULTS: Of the 7.35 million MA enrollees in the United States and Puerto Rico in our study, 1.06 million (14.4%) were Hispanic. Approximately 25.1% of all Hispanic MA enrollees resided in Puerto Rico, which was more than those residing in any state. For 15 of the 17 measures assessed, Hispanic MA enrollees in Puerto Rico received worse care compared with Hispanics in the United States, with absolute differences in performance rates ranging from 2.2 percentage points for blood pressure control in diabetes mellitus (P = .03) to 31.3 percentage points for use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drug therapy (P < .01). Adjusted performance differences between Hispanic MA enrollees in Puerto Rico and Hispanic MA enrollees in the United States exceeded 20 percentage points for 3 measures: use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drug therapy (-23.8 percentage points [95% CI, -30.9 to -16.8]), use of systemic corticosteroid in COPD exacerbation (-21.3 percentage points [95% CI, -27.5 to -15.1]), and use of bronchodilator therapy in COPD exacerbation (-22.7 percentage points [95% CI, -27.7 to -17.6]). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: We found modest differences in care between white and Hispanic MA enrollees in the United States but substantially worse care for enrollees in Puerto Rico compared with their US counterparts. Major efforts are needed to improve care delivery on the island to a level equivalent to the United States.

Plan-provider integration, premiums, and quality in the Medicare Advantage market.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate how integration between Medicare Advantage plans and health care providers is related to plan premiums and quality ratings. DATA SOURCE: We used public data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Area Resource File and private data from one large insurer. Premiums and quality ratings are from 2009 CMS administrative files and some control variables are historical. STUDY DESIGN: We estimated ordinary least-squares models for premiums and plan quality ratings, with state fixed effects and firm random effects. The key independent variable was an indicator of plan-provider integration. DATA COLLECTION: With the exception of Medigap premium data, all data were publicly available. We ascertained plan-provider integration through examination of plans' websites and governance documents. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We found that integrated plan-providers charge higher premiums, controlling for quality. Such plans also have higher quality ratings. We found no evidence that integration is associated with more generous benefits. CONCLUSIONS: Current policy encourages plan-provider integration, although potential effects on health insurance products and markets are uncertain. Policy makers and regulators may want to closely monitor changes in premiums and quality after integration and consider whether quality improvement (if any) justifies premium increases (if they occur).