Antiretroviral Therapy Use and Disparities Among Medicare Beneficiaries with HIV.

BACKGROUND: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is recommended for all people with HIV. Understanding ART use among Medicare beneficiaries with HIV is therefore critically important for improving quality and equity of care among the growing population of older adults with HIV. However, a comprehensive national evaluation of filled ART prescriptions among Medicare beneficiaries is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To examine trends in ART use among Medicare beneficiaries with HIV from 2013 to 2019 and to evaluate whether racial and ethnic disparities in ART use are narrowing over time. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. SUBJECTS: Traditional Medicare beneficiaries with Part D living with HIV in 2013-2019. MAIN MEASURES: Months of filled ART prescriptions each year. KEY RESULTS: Compared with beneficiaries not on ART, beneficiaries on ART were younger, less likely to be Black (41.6% vs. 47.0%), and more likely to be Hispanic (13.1% vs. 9.7%). While the share of beneficiaries who filled ART prescriptions for 10 + months/year improved (+ 0.48 percentage points/year [p.p.y.], 95% CI 0.34-0.63, p < 0.001), 25.8% of beneficiaries did not fill ART for 10 + months in 2019. Between 2013 and 2019, the proportion of beneficiaries who filled ART for 10 + months improved for Black beneficiaries (65.8 to 70.3%, + 0.66 p.p.y., 95% CI 0.43-0.89, p < 0.001) and White beneficiaries (74.8 to 77.4%, + 0.38 p.p.y.; 95% CI 0.19-0.58, p < 0.001), while remaining stable for Hispanic beneficiaries (74.5 to 75.0%, + 0.12 p.p.y., 95% CI - 0.24-0.49, p = 0.51). Although Black-White disparities in ART use narrowed over time, the share of beneficiaries who filled ART prescriptions for 10 + months/year was significantly lower among Black beneficiaries relative to White beneficiaries each year. CONCLUSIONS: ART use improved from 2013 to 2019 among Medicare beneficiaries with HIV. However, about 25% of beneficiaries did not consistently fill ART prescriptions within a given year. Despite declining differences between Black and White beneficiaries, concerning disparities in ART use persist.

Coverage and Access Changes During Medicaid Unwinding.

Importance: States resumed Medicaid eligibility redeterminations, which had been paused during the COVID-19 public health emergency, in 2023. This unwinding of the pandemic continuous coverage provision raised concerns about the extent to which beneficiaries would lose Medicaid coverage and how that would affect access to care. Objective: To assess early changes in insurance and access to care during Medicaid unwinding among individuals with low incomes in 4 Southern states. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multimodal survey was conducted in Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Texas from September to November 2023, used random-digit dialing and probabilistic address-based sampling, and included US citizens aged 19 to 64 years reporting 2022 incomes at or less than 138% of the federal poverty level. Exposure: Medicaid enrollment at any point since March 2020, when continuous coverage began. Main Outcomes and Measures: Self-reported disenrollment from Medicaid, insurance at the time of interview, and self-reported access to care. Using multivariate logistic regression, factors associated with Medicaid loss were evaluated. Access and affordability of care among respondents who exited Medicaid vs those who remained enrolled were compared, after multivariate adjustment. Results: The sample contained 2210 adults (1282 women [58.0%]; 505 Black non-Hispanic individuals [22.9%], 393 Hispanic individuals [17.8%], and 1133 White non-Hispanic individuals [51.3%]) with 2022 household incomes less than 138% of the federal poverty line. On a survey-weighted basis, 1564 (70.8%) reported that they and/or a dependent child of theirs had Medicaid at some point since March 2020. Among adult respondents who had Medicaid, 179 (12.5%) were no longer enrolled in Medicaid at the time of the survey, with state estimates ranging from 7.0% (n = 19) in Kentucky to 16.2% (n = 82) in Arkansas. Fewer children who had Medicaid lost coverage (42 [5.4%]). Among adult respondents who left Medicaid since 2020 and reported coverage status at time of interview, 47.8% (n = 80) were uninsured, 27.0% (n = 45) had employer-sponsored insurance, and the remainder had other coverage as of fall 2023. Disenrollment was higher among younger adults, employed individuals, and rural residents but lower among non-Hispanic Black respondents (compared with non-Hispanic White respondents) and among those receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Losing Medicaid was significantly associated with delaying care due to cost and worsening affordability of care. Conclusions and Relevance: The results of this survey study indicated that 6 months into unwinding, 1 in 8 Medicaid beneficiaries reported exiting the program, with wide state variation. Roughly half who lost Medicaid coverage became uninsured. Among those moving to new coverage, many experienced coverage gaps. Adults exiting Medicaid reported more challenges accessing care than respondents who remained enrolled.

Impact of extreme weather events on healthcare utilization and mortality in the United States.

Climate change is intensifying extreme weather events. Yet a systematic analysis of post-disaster healthcare utilization and outcomes for severe weather and climate disasters, as tracked by the US government, is lacking. Following exposure to 42 US billion-dollar weather disasters (severe storm, flood, flood/severe storm, tropical cyclone and winter storm) between 2011 and 2016, we used a difference-in-differences (DID) approach to quantify changes in the rates of emergency department (ED) visits, nonelective hospitalizations and mortality between fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries in affected compared to matched control counties in post-disaster weeks 1, 1-2 and 3-6. Overall, disasters were associated with higher rates of ED utilization in affected counties in post-disaster week 1 (DID of 1.22% (95% CI, 0.20% to 2.25%; P < 0.020)) through week 2. Nonelective hospitalizations were unchanged. Mortality was higher in affected counties in week 1 (DID of 1.40% (95% CI, 0.08% to 2.74%; P = 0.037)) and persisted for 6 weeks. Counties with the greatest loss and damage experienced greater increases in ED and mortality rates compared to all affected counties. Thus, billion-dollar weather disasters are associated with excess ED visits and mortality in Medicare beneficiaries. Tracking these outcomes is important for adaptation that protects patients and communities, health system resilience and policy.

Opportunities for Maximizing the Dietary Quality of Fad Diets.

The quality of American diets, measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), has remained stable and low since 2005. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 call for research analyzing dietary patterns to determine how guidelines might be altered to increase healthy eating. The present paper seeks to determine the dietary quality of popular fad dietary patterns among Americans. A definition of "fad diet" was created, and Google Trends© was searched for popular diets to determine popular dietary patterns based on the fad diet definition. Finally, eight dietary patterns were identified for inclusion. One-week sample menus were created for each dietary pattern, maximizing alignment with the DGAs but staying within the dietary pattern parameters, and then scored according to the HEI 2015 to determine the dietary quality. Total HEI scores ranged from 26.7 (Carnivore) to 89.1 (Low-FODMAP); the six highest total HEI scores were in the range of 77.1-89.1 out of 100 points. This analytical approach showed that some of the included popular fad dietary patterns have the potential to attain a high dietary quality. Rather than suggesting one "best" diet or dietary pattern, there is opportunity to maximize dietary quality in the context of dietary patterns that are considered fad diets.

Rapid Enrollment Growth In 'Look-Alike' Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans: A Threat To Integrated Care.

Policy makers are increasingly investing in efforts to better integrate Medicare and Medicaid services for people who are eligible for both programs, including expanding Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs). In recent years, however, a potential threat to integration has emerged in the form of D-SNP "look-alike" plans, which are conventional Medicare Advantage plans that are marketed toward and primarily enroll dual eligibles but are not subject to federal regulations requiring integrated Medicaid services. To date, limited evidence exists documenting national enrollment trends in look-alike plans or the characteristics of dual eligibles in these plans. We found that look-alike plans experienced rapid enrollment growth among dual eligibles during the period 2013-20, increasing from 20,900 dual eligibles across four states to 220,860 dual eligibles across seventeen states, for an elevenfold increase. Nearly one-third of dual eligibles in look-alike plans were previously in integrated care programs. Compared with D-SNPs, look-alike plans were more likely to enroll dual eligibles who were older, Hispanic, and from disadvantaged communities. Our findings suggest that look-alike plans have the potential to compromise national efforts to integrate care delivery for dual eligibles, including vulnerable subgroups who may benefit the most from integrated coverage.

Holistic Framework to Contextualize Dietary Quality Assessment: A Critical Review.

Numerous dietary quality indices exist to help quantify overall dietary intake and behaviors associated with positive health outcomes. Most indices focus solely on biomedical factors and nutrient or food intake, and exclude the influence of important social and environmental factors associated with dietary intake. Using the Diet Quality Index- International as one sample index to illustrate our proposed holistic conceptual framework, this critical review seeks to elucidate potential adaptations to dietary quality assessment by considering-in parallel-biomedical, environmental, and social factors. Considering these factors would add context to dietary quality assessment, influencing post-assessment recommendations for use across various populations and circumstances. Additionally, individual and population-level evidence-based practices could be informed by contextual social and environmental factors that influence dietary quality to provide more relevant, reasonable, and beneficial nutritional recommendations.

The Effects of Isocaloric Intermittent Fasting vs Daily Caloric Restriction on Weight Loss and Metabolic Risk Factors for Noncommunicable Chronic Diseases: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled or Comparative Trials.

BACKGROUND: Intermittent fasting (IF) has gained favor as an alternative regimen to daily caloric restriction (DCR). Therefore, there is a need for systematic reviews of randomized controlled/comparison trials examining the effects of isocaloric IF vs DCR on metabolic risk factors for noncommunicable chronic diseases. OBJECTIVE: To systematically investigate the effects of isocaloric IF vs DCR on metabolic risk factors for noncommunicable chronic diseases in adults with overweight and obesity. METHODS: Five online databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Google Scholar) were searched for articles published from January 2000 through April 2022. The updated Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment tool for randomized controlled/comparison trials was used to assess risk of bias in the included studies. This review includes randomized controlled/comparison trials with matched energy intakes (isocaloric) between IF and DCR among adults with overweight and obesity with ≥8-week durations, that assessed risk factors related to obesity and for diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers. RESULTS: Thirteen randomized controlled/comparison trials with matched energy intakes (isocaloric) between IF and DCR were identified. The effects of IF on weight loss and metabolic risk markers of diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers were varied but generally comparable with DCR. IF (4:3 and 5:2 diets) was superior to DCR for improving insulin sensitivity in two studies. Reductions in body fat were significantly greater with IF (5:2 diet and time-restricted eating) than DCR in two studies of isocaloric diets. CONCLUSIONS: With matched energy intakes, IF interventions produced similar beneficial effects for weight loss and chronic disease risk factors compared with DCR. Very limited evidence suggests that IF may be more effective vs DCR for fat loss and insulin sensitivity, but conclusions cannot be drawn based on the current evidence. Future clinical studies with larger populations and longer durations are needed for further elucidation of any potential effects of IF regimens for prevention of noncommunicable chronic diseases.

The Effects of Adding Semaglutide to High Daily Dose Insulin Regimens in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Escalating doses of insulin required with progression of type 2 diabetes may lead to weight gain. Weight loss associated with semaglutide may be beneficial. However, data on the use of semaglutide in patients requiring high daily doses of insulin are currently lacking. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this project was to evaluate the impact of semaglutide on total daily dose (TDD) of insulin when initiated in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on high daily doses of insulin. Secondary objectives assessed included changes in weight, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, heart rate, and diabetes and blood pressure medications. METHODS: This IRB exempt retrospective medical record review included patients with T2DM prescribed semaglutide and at least 100 units TDD of insulin between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2019. RESULTS: Of the 72 patients included, the TDD of insulin decreased from baseline to 6 months (183 ± 98 units and 143 ± 99 units, P < 0.001). Average A1c and body weight also decreased from baseline to 6 months (8.9% ± 1.3% and 7.6% ± 1.5%, P < 0.001 and 123.9 ± 23.5 kg and 118.9 ± 22.9 kg, P < 0.001, respectively). Limitations included a homogenous patient population and inability to control confounding factors. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Improvement in glycemic control occurred despite reductions in TDD of insulin. Improvements in A1c and body weight were clinically significant. This analysis adds to existing literature supporting the use of GLP-1 RAs in patients on high daily doses of insulin.

Trends in High-Severity Billing of Hospitalized Medicare Beneficiaries Treated by Hospitalists vs Nonhospitalists.

Importance: As US hospital expenditures continue to rise, understanding drivers of high-severity billing for hospitalized patients among inpatient physicians is critically important. Objective: To evaluate high-severity billing trends of Medicare beneficiaries treated by hospitalists vs nonhospitalists. Design Setting and Participants: This cohort study used Medicare fee-for-service claims of hospitalized patients from 2009 through 2018 to compare the proportion of high-severity billing between general medicine physicians classified as hospitalists vs nonhospitalists across initial, subsequent, and discharge hospital encounters. We compared physicians within the same hospital using hospital fixed effects and adjusted for patient demographics and comorbidities. Changes in the billing practices were assessed by investigating differences in slopes using an interaction term between physician type and time. Analyses were conducted between August 2021 and January 2022. Exposures: Treatment by hospitalists vs nonhospitalists. Main Outcomes and Measures: High-severity billing for initial, subsequent, and discharge hospital encounters. Results: The sample included 3 121 260 and 1 855 678 Medicare beneficiaries treated by hospitalists vs nonhospitalists, respectively. In each year, mean age, proportion female, proportion Black and Hispanic dual status, and mean number of chronic conditions were similar among those treated by hospitalists vs nonhospitalists (standardized mean difference < .01). The number of hospitalists grew by 76%, from 23 390 in 2009 to 41 084 in 2018, whereas nonhospitalists decreased by 43.6% (53 758 to 30 289). The proportion of encounters performed by hospitalists increased for the initial hospital encounters (46.3% to 76%), subsequent encounters (46.8% to 76.7%), and discharge encounters (46.1% to 78.5%) over the 10-year period. The proportion of high-severity billing across the hospital, subsequent, and discharge encounters was consistently higher among hospitalists relative to nonhospitalists across all years. Compared with the trends for nonhospitalists, the proportion of high-severity billing grew by 0.46% per year (95% CI, 0.44% to 0.49%; P < .001) for initial encounters, 0.38% per year (95% CI, 0.37% to 0.39%; P < .001) for subsequent encounters, and by 1.1% per year (95% CI, 1.1% to 1.15%; P < .001) for discharge encounters among hospitalists. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries treated in hospitals, high-severity billing increased over time for hospital encounters at higher rates for hospitalists than for nonhospitalists. These differences do not appear to be explained by patient complexity. The increase in the number of hospitalists over time may be contributing to rising national costs related to hospital care.

ACO Participation Associated With Decreased Spending For Medicare Beneficiaries With Serious Mental Illness.

Serious mental illness (SMI) is a major source of suffering among Medicare beneficiaries. To date, limited evidence exists evaluating whether Medicare accountable care organizations (ACOs) are associated with decreased spending among people with SMI. Using national Medicare data from the period 2009-17, we performed difference-in-differences analyses evaluating changes in spending and use associated with enrollment in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) among beneficiaries with SMI. After five years, participation in MSSP ACOs was associated with small savings for beneficiaries with SMI (-$233 per person per year) in total health care spending, primarily related to savings from chronic medical conditions (excluding mental health; -$227 per person per year) and not from savings related to mental health services (-$6 per person per year). Savings were driven by reductions in acute and postacute care for medical conditions. Further work is needed to ensure that Medicare ACOs invest in strategies to reduce potentially unnecessary care related to mental health disorders and to improve health outcomes.

Changes in Employment Status and Access to Care During COVID-19 Pandemic Among Low-Income Adults in 4 Southern States.

BACKGROUND: While the impact of the COVID-19 recession on the economy is clear, there is limited evidence on how the COVID-19 pandemic-related job losses among low-income people may have affected their access to health care. OBJECTIVE: To determine the association of job loss during the pandemic with insurance coverage and access to and affordability of health care among low-income adults. DESIGN: Using a random digit dialing telephone survey from October 2020 to December 2020 of low-income adults in 4 states-Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Texas-we conducted a series of multivariable logistic regression analyses, adjusting for demographics, chronic conditions, and state of residence. PARTICIPANTS: US citizens aged 19-64 with a family income less than 138% of the federal poverty line who became newly unemployed during pandemic, remained employed during pandemic, or were chronically unemployed before and during the pandemic. MAIN MEASURES: Rates of insurance, type of insurance coverage, measures of access to/affordability of care, and food/housing security KEY RESULTS: Of 1,794 respondents, 14.5% were newly unemployed, 49.6% were chronically unemployed, and 35.7% were employed. The newly unemployed were slightly younger and more likely Black or Latino. The newly unemployed were more likely to report uninsurance compared to the employed (+16.4 percentage points, 95% CI 6.0-26.9), and the chronically unemployed (+26.4 percentage points, 95% CI 16.2-36.6), mostly driven by Texas' populations. The newly unemployed also reported lower rates of access to care and higher rates of financial barriers to care. They were also more likely to report food and housing insecurity compared to others. CONCLUSIONS: In a survey of 4 Southern States during pandemic, the newly unemployed had higher rates of uninsurance and worse access to care-largely due to financial barriers-and reported more housing and food insecurity than other groups. Our study highlights the vulnerability of low-income populations who experienced a job loss, especially in Texas, which did not expand Medicaid.

The Association Of HIV With Health Care Spending And Use Among Medicare Beneficiaries.

An increasingly older population of people with HIV raises concerns about how HIV may influence care for Medicare patients. We therefore sought to determine the extent to which HIV influences additional spending on and use of mental health and medical care among Medicare beneficiaries and, importantly, whether treatment with antiretroviral therapy may reduce this additional spending. Using 2016 Medicare claims, we compared risk-adjusted spending and utilization for Medicare beneficiaries with and without HIV, as well as subgroups of people receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). Compared to beneficiaries without HIV, those with HIV receiving ART incurred 220.6 percent more spending, mostly driven by ART spending, whereas those with HIV not receiving ART incurred 95.4 percent more spending. Among beneficiaries with HIV, those receiving more months of ART had lower spending on treatment for other chronic conditions relative to those receiving fewer months of ART in a dose-response manner. Beneficiaries with HIV not receiving ART incurred the highest spending related to infections, mental health disorders, and other medical conditions compared to beneficiaries in other HIV subgroups receiving ART for various numbers of months. Our findings suggest that ART may be associated with Medicare Parts A and B savings, but ART adherence and the high prices of HIV drugs in Part D need to be addressed.

Hospital organizational strategies associated with advanced EHR adoption.

OBJECTIVE: To identify organizational complementarities of adoption and use of electronic health records (EHRs) and assess what organizational strategies were associated with more advanced EHR use. DATA SOURCES: Primary survey data of US hospitals combined with secondary data from the American Hospital Association Annual Survey and IT Supplement. STUDY DESIGN: In this cross-sectional study, we describe hospital organizational practices around EHR adoption and use and identify how these practices coalesce into distinct strategies. We then assess the association between those organizational strategies and adoption of advanced EHR functions. DATA COLLECTION: Primary data collection consisted of surveys sent to 797 US acute care hospitals in 2018-2019, with 451 complete respondents. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: There was significant variation in hospital organizational practices for EHR adoption and use. Factor analysis identified practices in three domains: leadership engagement, human capital, and systems integration. Hospitals in the top quartile of the leadership engagement factor were 14 percentage points more likely to have adopted patient engagement EHR functions (P = 0.01) while hospitals in the top quartile of human capital were 14 percentage points less likely to have adopted these functions (P = 0.02). Hospitals in the top quartile of systems integration were 12 percentage points more likely to have adopted patient engagement functions (P = 0.02) and 14 percentage points more likely to have adopted EHR data analytics functions (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that specific organizational strategies are associated with more advanced EHR adoption. Hospital leaders interested in realizing more value from their EHR investment may find it useful to know that there is an association between adoption of more advanced EHR functions, and engaging senior leadership as well as building connectivity between clinical and administrative systems.

Spending outcomes among patients with cancer in accountable care organizations 4 years after implementation.

BACKGROUND: The long-term impact of affordable care organizations (ACOs) on cancer spending remains unknown. The authors examined whether practices that became ACOs altered their spending for patients with cancer in the first 4 years after ACO implementation. METHODS: By using national Medicare data from 2011 to 2017, a random sample of 20% of fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older with cancer was obtained (n = 866,532), and each patient was assigned to a practice. Practices that became ACOs in the Medicare Shared Savings Program were matched to non-ACO practices. Total, cancer-specific, and service category-specific yearly spending per patient was calculated. A difference-in-differences model was used to determine spending changes associated with ACO status for patients with cancer in the 4 years after ACO implementation. RESULTS: The introduction of ACOs did not have a significant impact on overall spending for patients with cancer in the 2 years after ACO implementation (difference, -$38; 95% CI, -$268, $191; P = .74). Changes in spending also did not differ between ACO and non-ACO patients within service categories or among the 11 cancer types examined. The lack of difference in spending for patients with cancer in ACO and non-ACO practices persisted in the third and fourth years after ACO implementation (difference, -$120; 95% CI, -$284, $525; P = .56). CONCLUSIONS: ACOs did not significantly change spending for patients with cancer in the first 4 years after their implementation compared with non-ACOs. This prompts a reevaluation of the current efficacy of ACOs in reducing spending for cancer care and may encourage policymakers to reconsider the incentive structures of ACOs. LAY SUMMARY: Accountable care organizations (ACOs) were developed to curtail health care spending and improve quality, but their effects on cancer spending in their first 2 years have been minimal. The long-term impact of ACOs on cancer spending remains unknown. By using data from 866,532 Medicare beneficiaries with cancer, the authors observed that the association of a practice with an ACO did not significantly change total yearly spending per patient in the first 4 years after ACO implementation. This finding prompts a reevaluation of the current efficacy of ACOs in reducing spending for cancer care.

Association of Teaching Status and Mortality After Cancer Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To examine patient outcomes for nine cancer-specific procedures performed in teaching versus non-teaching hospitals. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Few contemporary studies have evaluated patient outcomes in teaching versus non-teaching hospitals across a comprehensive set of cancer-specific procedures. METHODS: Use of national Medicare data to compare 30-, 60-, and 90-day mortality rates in teaching and non-teaching hospitals for cancer-specific procedures. Risk-adjusted 30-day, all-cause, postoperative mortality overall and for each specific surgery, as well as overall 60- and 90-day mortality rates, were assessed. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 159,421 total cancer surgeries at 3,151 hospitals. Overall thirty-day mortality rates, adjusted for procedure type, state, and invasiveness of procedure were 1.3% lower at major teaching hospitals (95%CI=-1.6% to -1.1%; p<0.001) relative to non-teaching hospitals. After accounting for patient characteristics, major teaching hospitals continued to demonstrate lower mortality rates compared with non-teaching hospitals (-1.0% difference [95%CI -1.2% to -0.7%]; p<0.001). Further adjustment for surgical volume as a mediator reduced the difference to -0.7% (95%CI -0.9% to -0.4%, p<0.001). Cancer surgeries for four of the nine disease sites (bladder, lung, colorectal and ovarian) followed this overall trend. Sixty- and ninety-day overall mortality rates, adjusted for procedure type, state, and invasiveness of procedure showed that major teaching hospitals had a 1.7% (95%CI -2.1% to -1.4%; p<0.001) and 2.0% (95%CI -2.4 to -1.6%, p<0.001) lower mortality relative to non-teaching hospitals. These trends persisted after adjusting for patient characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Among cancer-specific procedures for Medicare beneficiaries, major teaching hospital status was associated with lower 30-, 60-, and 90-day mortality rates overall and across four of the nine cancer types.

Integration Activities Between Hospitals and Skilled Nursing Facilities: A National Survey.

OBJECTIVES: Increasing recognition of the adverse events older adults experience in post-acute care in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) has led to multiple efforts to improve care integration between hospitals and SNFs. We sought to measure current care integration activities between hospitals and SNFs. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 500 randomly selected Medicare-certified SNFs in the United States in 2019. The survey inquired about 12 care integration activities with the 2 highest volume referring hospitals for each SNF. METHODS: We collapsed survey responses into 5 categories of integration based on high correlations between the individual measures. These were: (1) formal integration (co-location or co-ownership); (2) informal integration (eg, formal affiliation, participation in SNF collaborative, shared pay for performance, or clinical leadership meetings between hospital and SNF); (3) shared quality/safety activities (eg, initiatives to improve medication safety or reduce hospital admission); (4) shared care coordinators; and/or (5) shared supervising clinicians. We then conducted multivariate regressions to examine associations between different care integration activities and hospital/SNF characteristics. RESULTS: Our overall response rate was 53.0%, including 265 SNFs that represented 487 SNF-hospital pairs. Informal integration was most common (in 53.3% of pairs), whereas shared clinicians (43.0%), care coordinators (36.5%), shared quality/safety activities (35.1%), and formal integration (7.4%) were present in a minority. Hospital-SNF pairs had lower odds of being formally integrated if the SNF was for-profit compared with not-for-profit [odds ratio (OR) 0.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.03-0.42, adjusted P = .04)] and higher odds of sharing quality improvement activities in metropolitan rather than rural areas (OR 4.06, 95% CI 1.80-9.17, adjusted P = .02) and in the Midwest compared with West (OR 2.95, 95% CI 1.44-6.06, adjusted P = .049). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: These findings raise important questions about what is driving variability in hospital-SNF integration activities, and which activities may be most effective for improving transitional care outcomes.

Association of race, ethnicity, and community-level factors with COVID-19 cases and deaths across U.S. counties.

The United States currently has one of the highest numbers of cumulative COVID-19 cases globally, and Latino and Black communities have been disproportionately affected. Understanding the community-level factors that contribute to disparities in COVID-19 case and death rates is critical to developing public health and policy strategies. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of U.S. counties and found that a 10% point increase in the Black population was associated with 324.7 additional COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population and 14.5 additional COVID-19 deaths per 100,000. In addition, we found that a 10% point increase in the Latino population was associated with 293.5 additional COVID-19 cases per 100,000 and 7.6 additional COVID-19 deaths per 100,000. Independent predictors of higher COVID-19 case rates included average household size, the share of individuals with less than a high school diploma, and the percentage of foreign-born non-citizens. In addition, average household size, the share of individuals with less than a high school diploma, and the proportion of workers that commute using public transportation independently predicted higher COVID-19 death rates within a community. After adjustment for these variables, the association between the Latino population and COVID-19 cases and deaths was attenuated while the association between the Black population and COVID-19 cases and deaths largely persisted. Policy efforts must seek to address the drivers identified in this study in order to mitigate disparities in COVID-19 cases and deaths across minority communities.

Changes in Racial Disparities in Mortality After Cancer Surgery in the US, 2007-2016.

Importance: Racial disparities are well documented in cancer care. Overall, in the US, Black patients historically have higher rates of mortality after surgery than White patients. However, it is unknown whether racial disparities in mortality after cancer surgery have changed over time. Objective: To examine whether and how disparities in mortality after cancer surgery have changed over 10 years for Black and White patients overall and for 9 specific cancers. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this cross-sectional study, national Medicare data were used to examine the 10-year (January 1, 2007, to November 30, 2016) changes in postoperative mortality rates in Black and White patients. Data analysis was performed from August 6 to December 31, 2019. Participants included fee-for-service beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Part A who had a major surgical resection for 9 common types of cancer surgery: colorectal, bladder, esophageal, kidney, liver, ovarian, pancreatic, lung, or prostate cancer. Exposures: Cancer surgery among Black and White patients. Main Outcomes and Measures: Risk-adjusted 30-day, all-cause, postoperative mortality overall and for 9 specific types of cancer surgery. Results: A total of 870 929 cancer operations were performed during the 10-year study period. In the baseline year, a total of 103 446 patients had cancer operations (96 210 White patients and 7236 Black patients). Black patients were slightly younger (mean [SD] age, 73.0 [6.4] vs 74.5 [6.8] years), and there were fewer Black vs White men (3986 [55.1%] vs 55 527 [57.7%]). Overall national mortality rates following cancer surgery were lower for both Black (-0.12%; 95% CI, -0.17% to -0.06% per year) and White (-0.14%; 95% CI, -0.16% to -0.13% per year) patients. These reductions were predominantly attributable to within-hospital mortality improvements (Black patients: 0.10% annually; 95% CI, -0.15% to -0.05%; P < .001; White patients: 0.13%; 95% CI, -0.14% to -0.11%; P < .001) vs between-hospital mortality improvements. Across the 9 different cancer surgery procedures, there was no significant difference in mortality changes between Black and White patients during the period under study (eg, prostate cancer: 0.35; 95% CI, 0.02-0.68; lung cancer: 0.61; 95% CI, -0.21 to 1.44). Conclusions and Relevance: These findings offer mixed news for policy makers regarding possible reductions in racial disparities following cancer surgery. Although postoperative cancer surgery mortality rates improved for both Black and White patients, there did not appear to be any narrowing of the mortality gap between Black and White patients overall or across individual cancer surgery procedures.