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Many investors utilize Roth retirement accounts and Roth conversions in their financial planning due to the commonly referenced benefit of tax-free distributions. In this article, potentially valuable advantages of Roth distributions, including avoiding taxes on Social Security benefits and avoiding additional Medicare Part B and Part D premiums, are explored. How Congress could limit these advantages in the future, without violating the promise of no direct taxes on Roth distributions, is then examined. Both the current state of Roth advantages and potential future changes will be of interest to financial service professionals and their clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveTo evaluate the factors associated with Medicare spending on newly approved anticancer drugs in the US from 2012 through 2021.Patient and methodsUsing a cross-sectional analysis, we searched US FDA new oncology drug approvals (2012-2021). We analyzed clinical attributes and institutional factors influencing the annual cost of new anticancer drugs in the US. Annual treatment cost was calculated based on average spending per beneficiary from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, with product factors sourced from the FDA's annual New Drug Therapy Approval reports and drug package inserts at the time of approval.ResultsOver a ten-year period, 112 new anticancer drugs were approved, of which 97 met the study's criteria. A significant majority, 93 %, received expedited development designations from the FDA. At the time of approval, 40 % of these drugs had data on progression-free survival, and 19 % had data on overall survival; 29 % were first-in-class. The study found a significant relationship between the year of approval and factors associated with the size of the treatment population. No statistically significant relationship was found between the clinical value of a drug and its price.ConclusionsSpending on anticancer drugs by Medicare are predominantly determined by reference pricing and the size of the anticipated treatment population, without an association with therapeutic value. The study advocates for reforms in reimbursement mechanisms for drugs lacking comparator arms and greater transparency for patients treated with these drugs.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to validate claims-based algorithms for identifying SLE and lupus nephritis (LN) in Medicare data, enhancing the use of the Lupus Index for geospatial research on SLE prevalence and outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the performance of rule-based algorithms using the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes to identify SLE and LN in a well-defined prospective longitudinal cohort of patients with and without SLE from a South Carolina registry and rheumatology outpatient clinics. The analysis included comparison of algorithms based on Medicare fee-for-service claims data to these rigorously phenotyped populations. The primary classification for SLE cases was based on the American College of Rheumatology and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus International Collaborating Clinics criteria for SLE and LN. Algorithms were based on the number of ICD-10 codes with and without a 30-day separation in the observation period, including all of 2016-2018. RESULTS: The algorithm using two ICD-10 codes for SLE, with or without a 30-day separation, showed the best overall performance. For LN, specific ICD-10 codes outperformed combinations of SLE and renal/proteinuria codes that were found in ICD-9. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study highlight the performance of specific ICD-10 code algorithms in identifying SLE and LN cases within Medicare data, providing a valuable tool for informing use of the Lupus Index. This index allows for improved geographical targeting of clinical resources, health disparity studies and clinical trial site selection. The study underscores the importance of algorithm selection based on research objectives, recommending more specific algorithms for precise tasks like clinical trial site identification and less specific ones for broader applications such as health disparities research.

INTRODUCTION: Bumetanide, a loop diuretic, was identified as a candidate drug for repurposing for Alzheimers disease (AD) based on its effects on transcriptomic apolipoprotein E signatures. Cross-sectional analyses of electronic health records suggest that bumetanide is associated with decreased prevalence of AD; however, temporality between bumetanide exposure and AD development has not been established. METHODS: We evaluated Medicare claims data using Cox proportional hazards regression to evaluate the association between time-dependent use of bumetanide and time to first AD diagnosis while controlling for patient characteristics. Multiple sensitivity analyses were conducted to test the robustness of the findings. RESULTS: We sampled 833,561 Medicare beneficiaries, 60.8% female, with mean (standard deviation) age of 70.4 (12). Bumetanide use was not significantly associated with AD risk (hazard ratio 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 0.99-1.10). DISCUSSION: Using a nationwide dataset and a retrospective cohort study design, we were not able to identify a time-dependent effect of bumetanide lowering AD risk. HIGHLIGHTS: Bumetanide was identified as a candidate for repurposing for Alzheimers disease (AD). We evaluated the association between bumetanide use and risk of AD. We used Medicare data and accounted for duration of bumetanide use. Bumetanide use was not significantly associated with risk of AD.

ImportanceSignificant insurance status disparities have been demonstrated in head and neck cancer (HNC) outcomes. The effects of insurance status on HNC outcomes may be explained by differential access to high-quality care.ObjectiveTo evaluate the association of insurance status with the quality of the treating hospital and receipt of guideline-compliant care among patients with HNC.Design, setting, and participantsThis retrospective cohort study of data from the California Cancer Registry dataset linked with discharge records and hospital characteristics from the California Department of Health Care Access and Information included adult patients with HNC diagnosed between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019. Data were analyzed from May 10, 2023, to March 25, 2024.ExposuresInsurance status: commercial, Medicare, Medicaid, uninsured, other, or unknown.Main outcomes and measuresQuality of the treating hospital (tertiles), receipt of National Comprehensive Cancer Network guideline-compliant care, and overall survival.ResultsA total of 23 933 patients (mean [SD] age, 64.8 [12.3] years; 75.3% male) met the inclusion criteria. Treatment in top-tertile hospitals (hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.79-0.95) was associated with improved overall survival compared with treatment in bottom-tertile hospitals. Medicare (odds ratio [OR], 0.78; 95% CI, 0.73-0.84), Medicaid (OR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.54-0.66), and uninsured (OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.29-0.49) status were associated with lower likelihood of treatment in high-quality hospitals compared with commercial insurance. Among patients with advanced disease, Medicaid (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.62-0.83) and uninsured (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.44-0.93) patients were less likely to receive dual-modality therapy. Among patients with surgically resected advanced disease, Medicaid coverage (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.58-0.93) was associated with lower likelihood of receiving adjuvant radiotherapy.Conclusions and relevanceThis study found significant insurance disparities in quality of care among patients with HNC. These findings highlight the need for continued health insurance reform in the US to improve the quality of insurance coverage, in addition to expanding access to health insurance.

BACKGROUND: Evidence on the comparative outcomes following percutaneous microaxial ventricular assist devices (pVAD) versus intra-aortic balloon pump for nonacute myocardial infarction cardiogenic shock is limited. METHODS AND RESULTS: We included 704 and 2140 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged 65 to 99 years treated with pVAD and intra-aortic balloon pump, respectively, for nonacute myocardial infarction cardiogenic shock from 2016 to 2020. Patients treated using pVAD compared with those treated using intra-aortic balloon pump were more likely to be concurrently treated with mechanical ventilation, renal replacement therapy, and blood transfusions. We computed propensity scores for undergoing pVAD using patient- and hospital-level factors and performed a matching weight analysis. The use of pVAD was associated with higher 30-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 1.92 [95% CI, 1.59-2.33]) but not associated with in-hospital bleeding (adjusted odds ratio, 1.00 [95% CI, 0.81-1.24]), stroke (adjusted odds ratio, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.56-1.47]), sepsis (OR, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.64-1.28]), and length of hospital stay (adjusted mean difference, +0.4 days [95% CI, -1.4 to +2.3]). A quasi-experimental instrumental variable analysis using the cross-sectional institutional practice preferences showed similar patterns, though not statistically significant (adjusted odds ratio, 1.38; 95% CI, 0.28-6.89). CONCLUSIONS: Our investigation using the national sample of Medicare beneficiaries showed that the use of pVAD compared with intra-aortic balloon pump was associated with higher mortality in patients with nonacute myocardial infarction cardiogenic shock. Providers should be cautious about the use of pVAD for nonacute myocardial infarction cardiogenic shock, while adequately powered high-quality randomized controlled trials are warranted to determine the clinical effects of pVAD.

INTRODUCTION: Protective associations of greenspace with Parkinsons disease (PD) have been observed in some studies. Visual exposure to greenspace seems to be important for some of the proposed pathways underlying these associations. However, most studies use overhead-view measures (e.g., satellite imagery, land-classification data) that do not capture street-view greenspace and cannot distinguish between specific greenspace types. We aimed to evaluate associations of street-view greenspace measures with hospitalizations with a PD diagnosis code (PD-involved hospitalization). METHODS: We created an open cohort of about 45.6 million Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged 65 + years living in core based statistical areas (i.e. non-rural areas) in the contiguous US (2007-2016). We obtained 350 million Google Street View images across the US and applied deep learning algorithms to identify percentages of specific greenspace features in each image, including trees, grass, and other green features (i.e., plants, flowers, fields). We assessed yearly average street-view greenspace features for each ZIP code. A Cox-equivalent re-parameterized Poisson model adjusted for potential confounders (i.e. age, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status) was used to evaluate associations with first PD-involved hospitalization. RESULTS: There were 506,899 first PD-involved hospitalizations over 254,917,192 person-years of follow-up. We found a hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of 0.96 (0.95, 0.96) per interquartile range (IQR) increase for trees and a HR of 0.97 (0.96, 0.97) per IQR increase for other green features. In contrast, we found a HR of 1.06 (1.04, 1.07) per IQR increase for grass. Associations of trees were generally stronger for low-income (i.e. Medicaid eligible) individuals, Black individuals, and in areas with a lower median household income and a higher population density. CONCLUSION: Increasing exposure to trees and other green features may reduce PD-involved hospitalizations, while increasing exposure to grass may increase hospitalizations. The protective associations may be stronger for marginalized individuals and individuals living in densely populated areas.

Introduction: Financial toxicity has negative implications for patient well-being and health outcomes. There is a gap in understanding financial toxicity for patients undergoing palliative radiotherapy (RT). Methods: A review of patients treated with palliative RT was conducted from January 2021 to December 2022. The FACIT-COST (COST) was measured (higher scores implying better financial well-being). Financial toxicity was graded according to previously suggested cutoffs: Grade 0 (score ≥26), Grade 1 (14-25), Grade 2 (1-13), and Grade 3 (0). FACIT-TS-G was used for treatment satisfaction, and EORTC QLQ-C30 was assessed for global health status and functional scales. Results: 53 patients were identified. Median COST was 25 (range 0-44), 49% had Grade 0 financial toxicity, 32% Grade 1, 15% Grade 2, and 4% Grade 3. Overall, cancer caused financial hardship among 45%. Higher COST was weakly associated with higher global health status/Quality of Life (QoL), physical functioning, role functioning, and cognitive functioning; moderately associated with higher social functioning; and strongly associated with improved emotional functioning. Higher income or Medicare or private coverage (rather than Medicaid) was associated with less financial toxicity, whereas an underrepresented minority background or a non-English language preference was associated with greater financial toxicity. A multivariate model found that higher area income (HR .80, P = .007) and higher cognitive functioning (HR .96, P = .01) were significantly associated with financial toxicity. Conclusions: Financial toxicity was seen in approximately half of patients receiving palliative RT. The highest risk groups were those with lower income and lower cognitive functioning. This study supports the measurement of financial toxicity by clinicians.

INTRODUCTION: The authors of this study sought to (1) describe the prevalence of social needs and (2) determine whether social needs were associated with closure of care gaps among patients aged ≥65 years seeking dental care. METHODS: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, the authors identified 754 Kaiser Permanente Northwest patients aged ≥65 years who completed an index dental visit; had at least 1 of 23 preventive care gaps (e.g., flu vaccination) or disease management care gaps (e.g., diabetes HbA1c screening test) documented in their medical record; and had completed a social needs assessment through survey evaluating financial strain, food insecurity, housing needs, social isolation, and transportation needs. The authors described the prevalence of social needs at the index visit and then used logistic regression to evaluate the association between the number of social needs (0, 1, ≥2) and closure of all care gaps over the following 60 days (yes versus no), adjusting for patient characteristics. Identification and closure of care gap were assessed through Kaiser Permanente Northwests Panel Support Tool. RESULTS: Approximately 28% of patients reported ≥1 social needs. The prevalence of social needs was as follows: social isolation, 13.7%; financial strain, 11.3%; food insecurity, 7.7%; transportation needs, 5.4%; and housing needs, 3.3%. Those with 1 social need were more likely to close care gaps than those with no social needs (OR=1.82, 95% CI=1.17, 2.85). No significant association was found with care gap closure among those with ≥2 versus zero social needs. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of social needs was nearly 30% among patients aged ≥65 years with dental and medical coverage. Patients with 1 social need were more likely than those with no social needs to close all care gaps after their visit.

The healthcare system in the United States ought to provide its citizens with unhindered access to high quality medical care as well as equitable treatment and coverage. Legislation to advance access to healthcare, such as the creation of the Medicare and Medicaid programs in 1965 and the Affordable Care Act in 2008, have been appropriate steps forward in achieving these goals, but obstacles to healthcare access still persist for many Americans. Healthcare access is hindered by foundational problems, such as a large uninsured population, inadequate infrastructure and facilities, and high costs for services. In rural communities, these problems assume different social and economic contexts and thus require their own separate evaluation. Rural Americans currently lack effective access to healthcare, despite existing policies aimed at improving access by making healthcare more affordable. In this article, I will explain different facts of the discussion revolving around rural healthcare access and analyze specific problems in the area. There are three policy directives that are essential to the expansion of rural healthcare access: public private partnerships, loan forgiveness for doctors serving at critical access hospitals, and expansion of the telehealth network. These avenues expand rural healthcare access, minimize government expenditure, and maximize public benefits.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies found that documentation of comorbidities differed when Veterans received care within versus outside Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Changes to medical center funding, increased attention to performance reporting, and expansion of Clinical Documentation Improvement programs, however, may have caused coding in VHA to change. METHODS: Using repeated cross-sectional data, we compared Elixhauser-van Walraven scores and Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) severity levels for Veterans admissions across settings and payers over time, utilizing a linkage of VHA and all-payer discharge data for 2012-2017 in seven US states. To minimize selection bias, we analyzed records for Veterans admitted to both VHA and non-VHA hospitals in the same year. Using generalized linear models, we adjusted for patient and hospital characteristics. RESULTS: Following adjustment, VHA admissions consistently had the lowest predicted mean comorbidity scores (4.44 (95% CI 4.34-4.55)) and lowest probability of using the most severe DRG (22.1% (95% CI 21.4%-22.8%)). In contrast, Medicare-covered admissions had the highest predicted mean comorbidity score (5.71 (95% CI 5.56-5.85)) and highest probability of using the top DRG (35.3% (95% CI 34.2%-36.4%)). CONCLUSIONS: More effective strategies may be needed to improve VHA documentation, and current risk-adjusted comparisons should account for differences in coding intensity.

BACKGROUND: Opioid tapering in the general population is linked to increases in hospitalizations or emergency department visits related to psychiatric or drug-related diagnoses. Cancer survivors represent a unique population with different opioid indications, prescription patterns, and more frequent follow-up care. This study sought to describe patterns of opioid tapering among older cancer survivors and to test the hypothesis of whether older cancer survivors face increased risks of adverse events with opioid tapering. METHODS: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Medicare-linked database, we identified 15 002 Medicare-beneficiary cancer survivors diagnosed between 2010 and 2017 prescribed opioids consistently for at least 6 months after their cancer diagnosis. Tapering was defined as a binary time-varying event occurring with any monthly oral morphine equivalent reduction of 15% or more from the previous month. Primary diagnostic billing codes associated with emergency room or hospital admissions were used for the composite endpoint of psychiatric- or drug-related event(s). RESULTS: There were 3.86 events per 100 patient-months, with 97.8% events being mental health emergencies, 1.91% events being overdose emergencies, and 0.25% involving both. Using a generalized estimating equation for repeated measure time-based analysis, opioid tapering was not statistically associated with acute events in the 3-month posttaper period (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02; P = .62) or at any point in the future (OR = 0.96; P = .46). CONCLUSIONS: Opioid tapering in older cancer survivors does not appear to be linked to a higher risk of acute psychiatric- or drug-related events, in contrast to prior research in the general population.

ObjectiveAssessing functional limitations for adults at high risk of frailty yields valuable information for identifying those in need of therapy. We evaluate a self-report measure used to assess physical function among Medicare recipients in the United States.DesignSecondary analysis of the 2020 Medicare Health Outcomes Survey.SettingA random sample of adult enrollees of 510 managed care plans.Participants287,476 adults (37% completion rate): 58% women; 16% were

Little is known about nursing home (NH) financial status in the United States even though most NH care is publicly funded. To address this gap, this descriptive study used 2019 Medicare cost reports to examine NH revenues, expenditures, net income, related-party expenses, expense categories, and capital structure. After a cleaning process for all free-standing NHs, a study population of 11,752 NHs was examined. NHs had total net revenues of US$126 billion and a profit of US$730 million (0.58%) in 2019. When US$6.4 billion in disallowed costs and US$3.9 billion in non-cash depreciation expenses were excluded, the profit margin was 8.84 percent. About 77 percent of NHs reported US$11 billion in payments to related-party organizations (9.54% of net revenues). Overall spending for direct care was 66 percent of net revenues, including 27 percent on nursing, in contrast to 34 percent spent on administration, capital, other, and profits. Finally, NHs had long-term debts that outweighed their total available financing. The study shows the value of analyzing cost reports. It indicates the need to ensure greater accuracy and completeness of cost reports, financial transparency, and accountability for government funding, with implications for policy changes to improve rate setting and spending limits.

BACKGROUND: Understanding how the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected site of death-an important patient-centered outcome related to end-of-life care-would inform healthcare system resiliency in future public health emergencies. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the changes in site of death during the COVID-19 pandemic among older adults without a COVID-19 diagnosis. DESIGN: Using a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences method, we estimated net changes in site of death during the pandemic period (March-December 2020) from the pre-pandemic period (January-February 2020), using data on the same months in prior years (2016-2019) as the control. PARTICIPANTS: A 20% sample of Medicare Fee-for-Service beneficiaries aged 66 years and older who died in 2016-2020. We excluded beneficiaries with a hospital diagnosis of COVID-19. MAIN MEASURES: We assessed each of the following sites of death separately: (1) home or community; (2) acute care hospital; and (3) nursing home. KEY RESULTS: We included 1,133,273 beneficiaries without a hospital diagnosis of COVID-19. We found that the proportion of Medicare beneficiaries who died at home or in the community setting increased (difference-in-differences [DID] estimate, + 3.1 percentage points [pp]; 95% CI, + 2.6 to + 3.6 pp; P

OBJECTIVES: To examine changes in the 30-day surgical mortality rate after common surgical procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigate whether its impact varies by urgency of surgery or patient race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. DESIGN: We used a quasi-experimental event study design to examine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgical mortality rate, using patients who received the same procedure in the prepandemic years (2016-2019) as the control, adjusting for patient characteristics and hospital fixed effects (effectively comparing patients treated at the same hospital). We conducted stratified analyses by procedure urgency, patient race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status (dual-Medicaid status and median household income). SETTING: Acute care hospitals in the USA. PARTICIPANTS: Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged 65-99 years who underwent one of 14 common surgical procedures from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2020. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: 30-day postoperative mortality rate. RESULTS: Our sample included 3 620 689 patients. Surgical mortality was higher during the pandemic, with peak mortality observed in April 2020 (adjusted risk difference (aRD) +0.95 percentage points (pp); 95% CI +0.76 to +1.26 pp; p

BACKGROUND: Days spent obtaining health care outside the home can represent not only access to needed care but also substantial time, effort, and cost, especially for older adults and their care partners. Yet, these health care contact days have not been characterized. OBJECTIVE: To assess composition of, variation and patterns in, and factors associated with contact days among older adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Nationally representative 2019 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey data linked to claims. PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older in traditional Medicare. MEASUREMENTS: Ambulatory contact days (days with a primary care or specialty care office visit, test, imaging, procedure, or treatment) and total contact days (ambulatory days plus institutional days in a hospital, emergency department, skilled-nursing facility, or hospice facility); multivariable mixed-effects Poisson regression to identify patient factors associated with contact days. RESULTS: In weighted results, 6619 older adults (weighted: 29 694 084) had means of 17.3 ambulatory contact days (SD, 22.1) and 20.7 total contact days (SD, 27.5) in the year; 11.1% had 50 or more total contact days. Older adults spent most contact days on ambulatory care, including primary care visits (mean [SD], 3.5 [5.0]), specialty care visits (5.7 [9.6]), tests (5.3 [7.2]), imaging (2.6 [3.9]), procedures (2.5 [6.4]), and treatments (5.7 [13.3]). Half of the test and imaging days were not on the same days as office visits (48.6% and 50.1%, respectively). Factors associated with more ambulatory contact days included younger age, female sex, White race, non-Hispanic ethnicity, higher income, higher educational attainment, urban residence, more chronic conditions, and care-seeking behaviors (for example, go to the doctor…as soon as (I)…feel bad). LIMITATION: Study population limited to those in traditional Medicare. CONCLUSION: On average, older adults spent 3 weeks in the year getting care outside the home. These contact days were mostly ambulatory and varied widely not only by number of chronic conditions but also by sociodemographic factors, geography, and care-seeking behaviors. These results show factors beyond clinical need that may drive overuse and underuse of contact days and opportunities to optimize this person-centered measure to reduce patient burdens, for example, via care coordination. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: National Institute on Aging.

Objective: Examine the impact of a primary care-embedded clinical pharmacist-led intervention (UCMyRx) on hemoglobin A1C and blood pressure control, relative to usual care, among patients with Type 2 diabetes (TD2) and Medicaid, in a large healthcare system. Methods: We used data extracted from the Electronic Health Records system and a Difference-In-Differences study design with a 2:1 propensity-matched comparison group to evaluate the impact of UCMyRx on HbA1c and systolic blood pressure among patients with TD2 and Medicaid, relative to usual care. Results: Having at least one UCMyRx clinical pharmacist visit was associated with a significant reduction in HbA1c; (-.27%, P-value= .03) but no impact on SBP. We do not find differential UCMyRx effects on HbA1c or SBP among the subpopulations with baseline HbA1C ≥9% or SBP ≥150 mmHg, respectively. In Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI)-stratified analyses we found stronger UCMyRx effects on HbA1C (-.47%, P-value< .02) among the CCI tercile with the lowest comorbidity score (CC1 ≤ 5). Significant UCMyRx effects are only observed among the subpopulation of Medicaid beneficiaries without Medicare (-.35%, P-value= .02). Conclusions: The UCMyRx intervention is a useful strategy for improving HbA1c control among patients with TD2 and Medicaid.

Abstract: Theoretical expectations regarding communication patterns between legislators and outside agents, such as lobbyists, agency officials, or policy experts, often depend on the relationship between legislators’ and agents’ preferences. However, legislators and nonelected outside agents evaluate the merits of policies using distinct criteria and considerations. We develop a measurement method that flexibly estimates the policy preferences for a class of outside agents—witnesses in committee hearings—separate from that of legislators’ and compute their preference distance across the two dimensions. In our application to Medicare hearings, we find that legislators in the U.S. Congress heavily condition their questioning of witnesses on preference distance, showing that legislators tend to seek policy information from like-minded experts in committee hearings. We do not find this result using a conventional measurement placing both actors on one dimension. The contrast in results lends support for the construct validity of our proposed preference measures.

BackgroundThere is little robust data about the cardiovascular safety of hydroxychloroquine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), who often have cardiovascular comorbidities. We examined the association between use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in patients with RA and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).MethodsIn a retrospective cohort of Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥ 65 years with RA, we identified patients who initiated HCQ (users) and who did not initiate HCQ (non-users) between January 2015-June 2017. Each HCQ user was matched to 2 non-users of HCQ using propensity score derived from patient baseline characteristics. The primary outcome was the occurrence of MACE, defined as acute admissions for stroke, myocardial infarction, or heart failure. Secondary outcomes included all-cause mortality and the composite of MACE and all-cause mortality. Cox proportional hazards model was used to compare outcomes between HCQ users to non-users.ResultsThe study included 2380 RA patients with incident HCQ use and matched 4633 HCQ non-users over the study period. The mean follow-up duration was 1.67 and 1.63 years in HCQ non-users and users, respectively. In multivariable models, use of HCQ was not associated with the risk of MACE (hazard ratio 1.1; 95% CI: 0.832-1.33). However, use of HCQ was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.45-0.64) and the composite of all-cause mortality and MACE (HR 0.67; 95% CI: 0.58-0.78).ConclusionHCQ use was independently associated with a lower risk of mortality in older adults with RA but not with incidence of MACE events. Key Points • Using an incident user design (to avoid the biases of a prevalent user design) and a population-based approach, we examined the effect of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) on the risk of major cardiovascular events (MACE) in older patients with RA. • We did not find an association between HCQ use and incident MACE. We did, however, find a significant association with the composite outcome (MACE and all-cause mortality) driven by a significant reduction in all-cause mortality with HCQ use.

Background: Several clinical trials support the efficacy of music therapy (MT) for improving outcomes in hospitalized patients, but few studies have evaluated the real-world delivery and integration of MT across multiple medical centers. This article describes the rationale, design, and population characteristics of a retrospective study examining the delivery and integration of MT within a large health system. Methods: A retrospective electronic health record (EHR) review was conducted of hospitalized patients seen by and/or referred to MT between January 2017 and July 2020. MT was provided across ten medical centers, including an academic medical center, a freestanding cancer center, and eight community hospitals. Discrete demographic, clinical, and MT treatment and referral characteristics were extracted from the EHR, cleaned, and organized using regular expressions functions, and they were summarized using descriptive statistics. Results: The MT team (average 11.6 clinical fulltime equivalent staff/year) provided 14,261 sessions to 7378 patients across 9091 hospitalizations. Patients were predominantly female (63.7%), White (54.3%) or Black/African American (44.0%), 63.7 ± 18.5 years of age at admission, and insured under Medicare (51.1%), Medicaid (18.1%), or private insurance (14.2%). Patients hospitalizations (median length of stay: 5 days) were primarily for cardiovascular (11.8%), respiratory (9.9%), or musculoskeletal (8.9%) conditions. Overall, 39.4% of patients hospital admissions included a mental health diagnosis, and 15.4% were referred to palliative care. Patients were referred by physicians (34.7%), nurses (29.4%), or advanced practice providers (24.7%) for coping (32.0%), anxiety reduction (20.4%), or pain management (10.1%). Therapists provided sessions to patients discharged from medical/surgical (74.5%), oncology (18.4%), or intensive care (5.8%) units. Conclusions: This retrospective study indicates that MT can be integrated across a large health system for addressing the needs of socioeconomically diverse patients. However, future research is needed to assess MTs impact on health care utilization (i.e., length of stay and rates of readmission) and immediate patient-reported outcomes.

Lung neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) have few known predictors of survival. We investigated associations of sociodemographic, clinicopathologic, and treatment factors with overall survival (OS) and lung cancer-specific survival (LCSS) for incident lung NET cases (typical or atypical histology) in the California Cancer Registry (CCR) from 1992 to 2019. OS was estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by sociodemographic and disease factors univariately with the log-rank test. We used sequential Cox proportional hazards regression for multivariable OS analysis. LCSS was estimated using Fine-Gray competing risks regression. There were 6038 lung NET diagnoses (5569 typical, 469 atypical carcinoid); most were women (70%) and non-Hispanic White (73%). In our multivariable model, sociodemographic factors were independently associated with OS, with better survival for women (hazard ratio (HR) 0.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.57-0.68, P < 0.001), married (HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.70-0.84, P < 0.001), and residents of high socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods (HRQ5vsQ1 0.73, 95% CI 0.62-0.85, P < 0.001). Compared to cases with private insurance, OS was worse for cases with Medicare (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.10-1.40, P < 0.001) or Medicaid/other public insurance (HR 1.45, 95% CI 1.24-1.68, P < 0.001). In our univariate model, non-Hispanic Black Californians had worse OS than other racial/ethnic groups, but differences attenuated after adjusting for stage at diagnosis. In our LCSS models, we found similar associations between sex and marital status on survival, but no differences in outcomes by SES or insurance. By race/ethnicity, American Indian cases had worse LCSS. In summary, beyond disease-related and treatment variables, sociodemographic factors were independently associated with survival in lung NETs.

Objective Study Setting and Design Data Sources and Analytic Sample Principal Findings Conclusions To analyze the variability in new infliximab biosimilar starts as well as switching from bio‐originator to biosimilar infliximab, across insurance payers and rheumatology practices nationally.Data came from Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness, a national registry with electronic health records from over 1100 US rheumatologists. Key outcomes include ever use of a biosimilar, date of initiation, and date of switching. Key variables of interest include insurance payer and practice.Secondary analysis of 37,560 patients aged ≥18 years administered infliximab (bio‐originator or biosimilar) between April 2016 and September 2022 in Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness. We tested for differences in use of biosimilar infliximab by demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, and diagnosis using standard mean differences and multivariable modified Poisson regression. We used generalized estimating equations to assess the adjusted effect of insurance and year of initiation on new biosimilar starts. We analyzed variation in biosimilar switching by insurance, date of switch, and practice.A total of 8196 (21.8%) infliximab users ever used a biosimilar and use did not differ significantly by demographic or clinical characteristics. In 2022, uptake among new users was higher among those with Medicaid (55%; 95%CI 43%–68%) and private insurance (51%; 95%CI 46%–57%) compared to Medicare (36%; 95%CI 29%–43%). Few prevalent bio‐originator infliximab users switched to a biosimilar, and switching was lowest among Medicare beneficiaries (7% vs. 14.2% in Medicaid and 16.9% among privately insured). In adjusted analyses, practice level differences explained 37% of variation among new biosimilar starts and 34% of variation among those switching to a biosimilar.Our findings underscore two critical areas for enhancing biosimilar infliximab usage: increasing switching among prevalent users and increasing uptake among Medicare beneficiaries initiating treatment. Significant variation in uptake across practices also suggests that local switching policies are likely key drivers of uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusions and Relevance Adults with Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's disease related dementias (ADRD) or frailty are susceptible to fractures. Opioid analgesics are frequently prescribed after fractures. Documenting post‐fracture opioid discontinuation rates and predictors of discontinuation among adults with ADRD or frailty can inform clinical practice, identify potential disparities, and improve pain management guidelines. The objective of this paper was to investigate opioid discontinuation in opioid‐naïve older adults who used opioids after an acute fracture.This retrospective cohort study included opioid‐naïve Medicare fee‐for‐service beneficiaries (N = 33,027) ≥65 years of age who filled an opioid prescription within 30 days of a vertebral, lower extremity, or upper extremity fracture from 2013 to 2018. Beneficiaries were classified according to ADRD (yes/no) and frailty (yes/no) status using validated claims‐based algorithms. The primary outcome was opioid discontinuation, defined as a 30‐day supply gap. We estimated discontinuation rates with the Kaplan–Meier method and identified predictors of opioid discontinuation using Cox proportional hazards regression.The 30‐day opioid discontinuation rate was similar among non‐frail beneficiaries without ADRD (81% [95% CI, 80%–81%]) and those who were non‐frail with ADRD (83% [81%–84%]). Comparatively, 30‐day discontinuation rates were lower among those with frailty and ADRD (76% [75%–77%]) and those with frailty alone (77% [75%–78%]). After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, health status, healthcare utilization, and calendar year, beneficiaries with both ADRD and frailty (HR, 0.90 [0.87–0.93]) and those with frailty alone (HR, 0.85 [0.82–0.89]), but not those with ADRD alone (HR, 1.06 [1.01–1.10]), were less likely to discontinue opioids compared with those without ADRD or frailty.Our findings suggest that frailty, but not ADRD, was associated with a lower likelihood of opioid discontinuation among older adults who initiated opioids after an acute fracture. Further research is needed to understand how opioid deprescribing practices depend on patient and provider preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Notable surgeon-to-surgeon variation in rates of uncommon surgery can reflect appropriate concentration of expertise with technically difficult or risky procedures that address problematic impairment due to objective pathophysiology. Examples include vascularized tissue transfer or transplantation to address complex tissue loss and release of bony elbow ankylosis. Perhaps more problematic is notable variation in straightforward, discretionary surgeries intended to alleviate pain, offered in the absence of objectively measurable pathophysiology, and without experimental evidence of benefit over placebo and other nonspecific effects. Evidence of concentration of this type of surgery in the hands of a few surgeons might point to inordinate influence of surgeon opinions on patient behavior. A study of variation in operations for upper extremity peripheral mononeuropathy has the potential to uncover potentially problematic variation. There are billing codes specific to common surgeries that can benefit patients with objectively verifiable neuropathies. And there are billing codes that represent less common nerve decompression surgeries that in many cases are offered in the absence of both objective evidence of pathophysiology as well as experimental evidence that surgery alleviates pain better than simulated surgery. Questions/purposes: We asked the following questions: (1) Among surgeons who billed a mean of at least 10 carpal tunnel releases (CTRs) per year in patients with Medicare insurance in the United States, how many also performed at least one less common peripheral nerve release and cubital tunnel release (CubTR) per year? (2) Among surgeons who billed a mean of at least one less common peripheral nerve release or CubTR on average per year, what is the median and range of the number of less common peripheral nerve releases and CubTRs and the relative proportion of these compared with CTRs per year? (3) Are there any differences in gender, specialty, and number of CTRs and CubTRs between surgeons who performed at least one less common nerve decompression and surgeons who, on average, performed none? Methods: Using the Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners - by Provider and Service database, we identified surgeons who perform a minimum of 10 CTRs per year. Because this database has all surgeries billed to Medicare performed in any setting by individual surgeons, it is well suited to the study of surgeon-specific operative rates among Medicare patients. Among 7259 clinicians who billed one or more nerve procedure to Medicare between January 2013 and December 2019, we excluded 120 nonsurgical clinicians, 47 podiatrists, and 1561 clinicians who billed procedures as an organization. Among the remaining 5531 surgeons, 5439 performed at least 10 CTRs on average per year, which we considered representative of surgeons who include nerve decompression surgery as a part of their practice. Among these 5439 surgeons, we calculated the mean number of CTRs, CubTRs, and less common peripheral nerve releases (including decompression of a digital nerve, nerve in hand or wrist, ulnar nerve at the wrist, brachial plexus, and unspecified nerve) per year between 2013 and 2019. Decompression of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel, the ulnar nerve at the cubital tunnel, and, much less frequently, the ulnar nerve at the wrist typically addresses measurable neuropathy. The other nerve releases are often performed for illnesses characterized by pain that are defined, in part, by the absence of experimentally verifiable pathophysiology such as radial tunnel and pronator (or lacertus) syndromes. We counted the number of surgeons who billed an average of at least one less common peripheral nerve release and CubTR per year; the median and range of the number of less common nerve releases and CubTRs and their relative proportion among those subsets of surgeons; and differences in the number of surgeons who performed one or none less common surgery by gender, specialty, and volume of CTR/CubTR surgery. Results: Of 5439 surgeons who performed a mean of at least 10 CTRs per year, 2% (93) performed a mean of at least one less common peripheral nerve release per year among patients on Medicare, 14% (775) at least one CubTR, and 1% (47) performed both. Surgeons who performed a mean of at least one less common peripheral nerve release per year performed a median (IQR) of 7 (3 to 17) per year (with a maximum of 153 per year), representing approximately one less common peripheral nerve release for every five CTRs. Sixty-five percent (4076 of 6272) of all less common nerve procedures were performed by the top 20 billing surgeons. Gender was not associated with doing one or more uncommon nerve releases (women 1% [6 of 413], men 2% [87 of 5026]; p = 0.84), but specialty was, with plastic surgeons leading (6% [20 of 340] compared with 1% [73 of 5087] for other types of surgeons; p < 0.001). Conclusion: The observation that a relatively small number of surgeons perform a large majority of the surgery for nerve syndromes conceptualized as accounting for arm pain suggests that most surgeons are cautious about ascribing pain to conceptual nerve compression syndromes and offering surgery. Clinical Relevance: An approach to surgical care founded on ethical principles regards this type of notable variation as a signal of inordinate influence of surgeon opinion on patient behavior, suggesting that professional conduct may be supported by safeguards such as checklists that help guide patients to choices consistent with their values unclouded by surgeon beliefs, false hope, and common misconceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) accounts for a sizable proportion of Medicare spending. Peritoneal dialysis remains an underutilized treatment modality for ESKD despite its quality of life and cost-saving benefits. Medicare policy on reimbursements and patient eligibility for dialysis coverage has been amended numerous times since its inception in 1972. Over the last two decades, Medicare policy on ESKD reimbursements has evolved from a primarily fee-for-service model to a prospective payment system, and within the past few years, it has begun including more experimental payment structures. While prior work has explored the evolution of Medicare's ESKD policy as a whole, we specifically outline the impact of Medicare policy changes on peritoneal dialysis reimbursement rates, uptake by physicians and dialysis facilities, and accessibility to patients. This narrative review offers historical insights, an overview of modern ESKD policy, actionable strategies, and policy opportunities to increase the accessibility of this treatment modality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To describe and compare 3 methods for estimating stay-level Medicare facility (Part A) costs using claims and cost report data for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) and long-term care hospitals (LTCHs), the 2 hospital-based postacute care providers. We calculated stay-level facility costs using different methods. Method 1 used routine costs per day and ancillary cost-to-charge ratios. Method 2 used routine and ancillary cost-to-charge ratios (freestanding IRFs and LTCHs only). Method 3 used facility-specific operating cost-to-charge ratios from the Provider Specific File. For each method, we compared the costs with payments and charges at the claim and facility levels and examined facility margins. Data are from 1619 providers, including 266 freestanding IRFs, 909 IRF units, and 444 LTCHs. The analyses included 239,284 claims from 2014, of which 86,118 claims were from freestanding IRFs, 92,799 claims were from IRF units, and 60,367 claims were from LTCHs. Not applicable. Costs and payments in 2014 United States Dollars. For freestanding IRFs, the mean facility stay-level costs were calculated to be $13,610 (method 1), $13,575 (method 2), and $13,783 (method 3). For IRF units, the mean facility stay-level costs were $17,385 (method 1) and $19,093 (method 3). For LTCHs, the mean facility stay-level costs were $36,362 (method 1), $36,407 (method 2), and $37,056 (method 3). The 3 methods resulted in small differences in facility mean stay-level costs. Using the facility-level cost-to-charge ratio (method 3) is the least resource-intensive method. Although more resource-intensive, using routine cost per day and ancillary cost-to-charge ratios (method 1) for cost calculations allows for differentiation in costs across patients based on differences in the mix of services used. As policymakers consider postacute care payment reforms, cost, rather than charge or payment data, needs to be calculated and the results of the methods compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior studies have suggested there may be differences in reimbursement and practice patterns by gender. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively evaluate differences in reimbursement, procedural volume, and patient characteristics in total hip arthroplasty (THA) between men and women surgeons from 2013 to 2021. The Medicare Physician and Other Practitioners database from 2013 to 2021 was queried. Inflation-adjusted reimbursement, procedural volume, surgeon information, and patient demographics were extracted for surgeons performing over 10 primary THAs each year. Wilcoxon, t -tests, and multivariate linear regressions were utilized to compare men and women surgeons. Only 1.4% of THAs billed to Medicare between 2013 and 2021 were billed by women surgeons. Men surgeons earned significantly greater reimbursement nationally in 2021 compared to women surgeons per THA ($1,018.56 versus $954.17, P =.03), but no difference was found when assessing each region separately. Reimbursement declined at similar rates for both men and women surgeons (−18.3 versus −19.8%, P =.38). An increase in the proportion of women surgeons performing THA between 2013 and 2021 was seen in all regions except the South. In 2021, the proportion of all THAs performed by women surgeons was highest in the West (3.5%) and lowest in the South (1.0%). Women surgeons had comparable patient populations in terms of age, race, comorbidity status, and Medicaid eligibility to their men counterparts, but performed significantly fewer services per beneficiary (5.6 versus 8.1, P <.001) and fewer unique services (51.1 versus 69.6, P <.001). Average reimbursement per THA has declined at a similar rate for men and women physicians between 2013 and 2021. Women's representation in THA surgery nationwide has nearly doubled between 2013 and 2021, with the greatest increase in the West. However, there are notable differences in billing practices between genders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Sleep Apnea (SA) is a common sleep disorder that increases postoperative morbidity. There is limited research on how SA influences outcomes following operative fixation of ankle fractures. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine whether patients who undergo surgical fixation for bimalleolar ankle fractures have higher rates of medical complications and health care expenditures. Methods: A retrospective review from January 1, 2005 to March 31, 2014 was conducted using the parts A and B Medicare Data from PearlDiver database. Patients with and without SA on the day of the primary open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of their bimalleolar ankle fractures were queried using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes. Welch's t -tests were used to compare costs of care. A multivariate binomial logistic regression model was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) of adverse events. A P-value <.001 was considered statistically significant. Results: There were 20 560 patients (SA = 3150; comparison cohort = 17 410) who underwent ORIF for bimalleolar ankle fractures during the study period. Sleep apnea patients were found to have significantly higher rates and odds of 90-day medical complications (21.42% vs 7.47%, OR: 3.11, P <.0001) and 90-day costs of care ($7213.12 vs $5415.79, P <.0001). Conclusion: This research demonstrates an increased risk of postoperative medical complications and health care costs among patients with SA undergoing ORIF for bimalleolar ankle fractures. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level IV: Retrospective [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Quantifying interdependence in multiple patient-centered outcomes is important for understanding health declines among older adults. Methods: Medicare-linked National Health and Aging Trends Study data (2011–2015) were used to estimate a joint longitudinal logistic regression model of disability in activities of daily living (ADL), fair/poor self-rated health (SRH), and mortality. We calculated personalized concurrent risk (PCR) and typical concurrent risk (TCR) using regression coefficients. Results: For fair/poor SRH, highest odds were associated with COPD. For mortality, highest odds were associated with dementia, hip fracture, and kidney disease. Dementia and hip fracture were associated with highest odds of ADL disability. Hispanic respondents had highest odds of ADL disability. Hispanic and NH Black respondents had higher odds of fair/poor SRH, ADL disability, and mortality. PCRs/TCRs demonstrated wide variability for respondents with similar sociodemographic-multimorbidity profiles. Discussion: These findings highlight the variability of personalized risk in examining interdependent outcomes among older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the association of older adults' hearing difficulty status with caregiving time. Methods: We used data from two linked surveys of Medicare beneficiaries and family caregivers. Hearing difficulty was defined by hearing aid use and hearing capacity in functional settings. Weighted multivariable linear regression examined the association between hearing difficulty and caregiving time. Stratified analyses were conducted to investigate the moderation effects of caregiving networks and care recipient's dementia status. Results: Among 3003 caregivers, those who assisted older adults with hearing difficulty were observed to spend greater time providing care (β = 1.18, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.04, 1.32). Stronger associations in magnitude were observed among caregivers without caregiving networks (β = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.13, 1.56) and assisting older adults without dementia (β = 1.22; 95% CI = 1.06, 1.37). Discussion: Hearing difficulty may contribute to greater caregiving time and remains a potential target for caregiver support programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medicare claims data enables broad characterization of United States (US) patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Resulting insights can be used as a reference to describe this population and as a benchmark for generalizability of patients with ADRD enrolled in clinical trials. Objective: To characterize demographics, comorbidities, comedications, and healthcare resource utilization in US patients with newly diagnosed ADRD, focusing on differences across Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) and Medicare Advantage enrollees. Methods: This observational cohort study used complete (100%) Medicare claims data inclusive of both FFS and Medicare Advantage insurance types. Study patients were ≥65-years-old with ≥12 months of continuous pre-index enrollment and Medicare Part D coverage. Two cohorts of patients were selected in calendar year 2019; those newly diagnosed with ADRD and those with a new acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI) claim. Results: The newly diagnosed ADRD and new AChEI users cohorts included 861,727 and 395,319 patients, respectively. Demographics and comedications were generally similar across the two cohorts, supporting internal validity of the study results. Circulatory system-related comorbidities and mood disorders were common in both cohorts. Differences in race, inpatient claims and long-term care claims were observed between insurance types. Conclusions: The study results provide a reference for describing the ADRD population in the US and emphasize the importance of evaluating new Alzheimer's disease drugs in broad patient populations with comorbidities and concomitant medication use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model is an alternative Medicare payment model for joint replacement that mandated participation by hospitals in randomly selected Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs). On average, the program decreased inpatient length of stay and increased home discharge rates. It is unclear if these effects differed based on hospital ownership type, even though ownership may impact care redesign opportunities. Methods: We used the 2014–2017 California Patient Discharge Datasets. The study included 113,590 hospitalizations for hip and knee joint replacement from 287 hospitals in the treated and control MSAs in California. The primary outcomes were inpatient length of stay and home discharge rates. Home discharge status included self-care, the use of home health, and hospice care at home. To determine whether the impact of the CJR model differed by hospital ownership type, we used event study, difference-in-differences (DID), and triple differences (DDD) models to estimate changes in health care services utilization in treated relative to control areas before versus after CJR implementation (April 2016) by hospital ownership type. Results: Of the 113,590 hospitalizations, 51,708 (45.52%) were in treated MSAs and 61,882 (54.48%) were in control MSAs; 81,649 (71.88%) were from nonprofit hospitals, 20,247 (17.82%) were from for-profit hospitals, and 11,694 (10.29%) were from government-owned hospitals. DID analyses showed that after policy implementation, nonprofit and for-profit hospitals experienced a decrease in inpatient length of stay of 0.02 days (95% CI, -0.04 to -0.01) and 0.04 days (95% CI, -0.06 to -0.01), respectively, while government-owned hospitals experienced an increase by 0.11 days (95% CI, 0.04 to 0.18). For home discharge rates, nonprofit hospitals experienced an increase of 0.02 (95% CI, 0.01 to 0.03), while other hospitals did not show statistically significant changes. DDD analyses confirmed that inpatient length of stay increased in public compared to nonprofit hospitals in treated relative to control MSAs after policy implementation. Conclusions: The impacts of the CJR program differed by hospital ownership type. Government-owned hospitals, with their unique financial circumstances, may have faced challenges that hindered the reductions in inpatient length of stay observed in other types of hospitals under the CJR Model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Method Results Conclusions Our objective was to evaluate antiretroviral therapy (ART) prescription rates over time among US Medicare enrolees with HIV and to describe disparities in ART prescription and associated factors.We constructed successive cross‐sectional cohorts including adult enrollees with HIV and fee‐for‐service coverage and Part D enrolment in US Medicare between 2007 and 2019. We calculated the percentage of receipt of any ART prescription (ART%) in a calendar year by sex, age, and original Medicare entitlement and calculated age–sex standardized ART% over time. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess the association between ART prescription and sociodemographic factors and chronic conditions by age strata (<65, ≥65 years) in 2019.ART% increased over time and was highest among people with HIV aged 50–64 years in 2019: 95% in males and 92% in females. Multivariable analysis showed that female sex was associated with less ART%, with odds ratios (ORs) of 0.65 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.60–0.70) and 0.34 (95% CI 0.30–0.39), than male sex in those aged <65 and ≥65 years, respectively. The youngest and oldest enrollees had lower ART use (e.g., OR 0.43 [95% CI 0.34–0.54] for 18–29 vs. 50–64 years; OR 0.34 [95% CI 0.30–0.39] for ≥80 vs. 65–69 years). The top conditions associated with less ART included dementia and alcohol use disorder. Other factors included no Part D low‐income subsidy, non‐Hispanic white race, and Midwest residence.ART use increased over time in US Medicare enrollees. Non‐Hispanic white, female, and the youngest and oldest enrollees received less ART. Multimorbidity, substance use, and dementia were associated with less ART use. Research to overcome these disparities is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objective Design Key Results Conclusions The utilization of Annual Wellness Visits (AWVs), preventive healthcare visits covered by Medicare Part B, has grown steadily since their inception in 2011. However, longitudinal patterns and variations in use across enrollees, providers, and clinics remain poorly understood.This study aimed to analyze AWV usage trends from 2018 to 2022 among a sizable cohort of Medicare beneficiaries, employing electronic health record (EHR) data. The goal was to assess AWV frequency and explore variations across enrollees, providers, and clinics.This retrospective observational study utilized EHR data from Medicare beneficiaries aged 66 and above, receiving continuous primary care from 2018 to 2022 (N = 24,549). Enrollees were classified into three categories based on their AWV utilization over a 5‐year period: low users (0–1 AWVs), moderate users (2–3 AWVs), and regular users (4–5 AWVs). AWV usage patterns were examined across individual demographics and provider/clinic characteristics using multilevel regression models.Over the 2018–2022 period, 58.6% were regular AWV users, 27.7% were moderate users, and 13.7% were low users. Differences in primary care providers and clinics accounted for 56.4% (95% CI, 45.3%–66.9%) of the variation between low and regular users. Among enrollees who visited the same providers and clinics, individuals were less likely to be regular users of AWVs if they were 85 and older, Hispanic, from socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, or had multiple comorbidities.The majority of Medicare beneficiaries in the study engaged with AWVs, with 86% having two or more over the 5‐year period. These findings underscore the broad acceptance of AWVs among beneficiaries but also show that clinic and provider factors influence usage, especially among older, minoritized, and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. Interventions at the provider and clinic levels are necessary to further improve AWV uptake, particularly for vulnerable groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Australian Government began implementing Medicare policies in the late 1990s aiming to improve Indigenous Peoples' access to the primary care. No aggregate central list of what policies have been implemented exists. The aim of this review was twofold: first to perform a scoping review to identify any literature mentioning a policy implemented between 1996 and 2023 regarding Indigenous Peoples' access to Medicare or the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for primary care, and secondly to synthesise and describe any policies to enable learning from past successes and failures. Methods: Scoping review following the PRISMA-ScR process. Seven electronic databases were searched for any papers identifying any policy implemented between 1996–2023 to improve Indigenous Peoples' access to primary care. This was supplemented with searches in Google, key government databases, hand searching and expert input. Results: Sixteen policies were implemented and organised into six categories according to the primary care barrier they targeted: Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) funding structure; lack of Indignenous-appropriate MBS items; Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) access barriers; inappropriate care from mainstream general practitioners; bureaucratic impediments to MBS and PBS access; and data gaps. Discussion/conclusion: This is the first synthesis of Medicare and PBS policy history to improve Indigenous Peoples' access to primary health care, and provides a platform for future analysis. Identifying the names of relevant policies in any area is key to accountability and reliance on individual expertise is no substitute for transparent and durable policy record-keeping. A searchable long-term policy repository should be established to ensure that related policies can be identified, and that key policy documentation is publicly available in perpetuity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Study Setting and Design Data Sources and Analytic Sample Principal Findings Conclusions To evaluate whether race‐ and sex‐based biases are present in a predictive model of avoidable hospital (AH) events.We examined whether Medicare fee‐for‐service (FFS) beneficiaries in Maryland with similar risk scores differed in true AH event risk on the basis of race or sex (n = 324,834). This was operationalized as a logistic regression of true AH events on race or sex with fixed effects for risk score percentile.Beneficiary‐level risk scores were derived from 36 months of Medicare FFS claims (April 2019–March 2022) and generated in May 2022. True AH events were observed in claims from June 2022.Black patients had higher average risk scores than White patients; however, the likelihood of experiencing an AH event did not differ by race when controlling for predicted risk (Marginal Effect [ME] = 0.0003, 95%CI −0.0003 to 0.0009). AH event likelihood was lower in males when controlling for risk level; however, the effect was small (ME = −0.0008, 95% CI −0.0013 to −0.0003) and it did not differ by sex for the target group for intervention (ME = 0.0002, 95% CI −0.0031 to 0.0036).We implemented a simple bias assessment methodology and found no evidence of meaningful race‐ or sex‐based bias in this model. We encourage the incorporation of bias checks into predictive model development and monitoring processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the termination of Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plan "look-alikes" and the subsequent insurance enrollment of affected beneficiaries. The termination aimed to shift beneficiaries to more integrated care options, but many ended up in lower-quality plans. Hispanic and Asian beneficiaries were disproportionately impacted, with most beneficiaries not enrolling in plans that integrate Medicare and Medicaid benefits. The study highlights concerns about the quality of care and the need for monitoring the impact of terminations on dual-eligible beneficiaries. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the attrition of remote patient monitoring (RPM) use for hypertension management in Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries from 2018 to 2021. The study found that around half of RPM initiators did not have an RPM claim 12 months after initiation, with a gradual decline in use over time. Female beneficiaries were less likely to have persistent RPM use, while Asian beneficiaries and rural residents had higher probabilities of persistent use. The study highlights the need for further research on sustained RPM use in older adults with chronic conditions to prevent complications. [Extracted from the article]

The article presents information on a pilot program which aims to assess the feasibility of employing and expanding remote physiologic monitoring (RPM) services at an academic medical center. Topics discussed include the overall flow of the project, patients eligible for enrollment in the program, and pharmacist intervention.

Congressional hearings and public reports have drawn attention to problems afflicting Medicare Advantage (MA), the privatized version of Medicare. Private plans became a staple of Medicare through the passage of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (TEFRA). Congress passed this law during a furor of privatization, when think tanks and powerful financial interests emphasized the power of corporations' profit incentive to improve the efficiency and quality of social enterprise. Yet the surging criticism of MA suggests a misalignment between the financial interest of some MA plans and the well-being of their patient populations. The criticisms range from deceptive marketing, ghost networks, and patient cherry-picking to unethical prior authorization denials and defrauding the government. In total, MA plans cost the federal government 22% more per patient than if these patients in question were enrolled in traditional Medicare. Moreover, it is not clear that this additional funding is producing proportional benefits. These developments raise questions about the presence of a profit incentive in Medicare, and perhaps health care more broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methods Results Conclusion Exposure to central nervous system (CNS)‐active polypharmacy—overlapping exposure to three or more CNS‐active medications—is potentially harmful yet common among persons living with dementia (PLWD). The extent to which these medications are prescribed to community‐dwelling PLWD by individual clinicians versus distributed across multiple prescribers is unclear.We identified community‐dwelling Medicare beneficiaries with a dementia diagnosis and Medicare Parts A, B, and D coverage for at least one month in 2019. Using fill date and days' supply for prescriptions filled between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2019, we identified beneficiaries exposed to CNS‐active polypharmacy (i.e., >30 days of overlapping exposure to three or more antidepressant, antipsychotic, antiseizure, benzodiazepine, opioid, nonbenzodiazepine benzodiazepine receptor agonists, or skeletal muscle relaxant medications). We examined the number and type of clinicians who contributed to polypharmacy person‐days among PLWD.The cohort included 955,074 PLWD who were primarily female (64.0%), were White (78.5%), and had a mean age of 83.4 years (standard deviation 8.0). Notably, 14.3% were exposed to CNS‐active polypharmacy. At the person level, 24.6% of PLWD experienced polypharmacy prescribed by a single clinician. Considering total days of exposure, 45.3% of polypharmacy person‐days were prescribed by a single clinician. Primary care physicians prescribed 63.0% of polypharmacy person‐days and accounted for the plurality of days for all seven medication classes, followed by psychiatrists for antipsychotics and benzodiazepines and primary care advanced practice providers (APPs) for antidepressants and antiseizure medications.In this cross‐sectional analysis of Medicare claims data, primary care clinicians (both physicians and APPs) prescribed the majority of medications that contributed to CNS‐active polypharmacy for PLWD. Future research is needed to identify strategies to support primary care clinicians in appropriate prescribing of CNS‐active medications to PLWD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of uncertainty in information systems is difficult to assess, especially when drawing conclusions from human observation records. In this study, we investigate survival variation in a population experiencing infectious disease as a proxy to investigate uncertainty problems. Using Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services claims, we discovered 1,543,041 HIV+ persons, 363,425 of whom were observed dying from all-cause mortality. Once aggregated by HIV status, year of birth and year of death, Age-Period-Cohort disambiguation and regression models were constructed to produce explanations of variance in survival. We used Age-Period-Cohort as an alternative method to work around under-observed features of uncertainty like infection transmission, receiver host dynamics or comorbidity noise impacting survival variation. We detected ages that have a consistent, disproportionate share of deaths independent of study year or year of birth. Variation in seasonality of mortality appeared stable in regression models; in turn, HIV cases in the United States do not have a survival gain when uncertainty is uncontrolled for. Given the information complexity issues under observed exposure and transmission, studies of infectious diseases should either include robust decedent cases, observe transmission physics or avoid drawing conclusions about survival from human observation records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Trends in phototherapy utilization in the context of new therapeutics have not been evaluated. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate phototherapy utilization, payments, and geographic distribution for Medicare beneficiaries from 2000 to 2021. Patients/Methods: A longitudinal analysis of the Medicare Part B National Summary Data Files was conducted to obtain phototherapy utilization and payment amounts. Medicare Physician & Other Practitioners by Provider and Service datasets were used to determine provider type and geographic distribution. Results: Between 2000 and 2021, total Medicare phototherapy volume increased from 335,152 to 621,850, correlating with a 3.0% annual growth rate (5.0% between 2000 and 2015, −3.1% between 2016 and 2021). Ultraviolet B phototherapy represented the majority of use, rising from 68.1% in 2000 to 78.0% in 2021. Psoralens plus ultraviolet A decreased by 11.3% annually, while laser treatments increased by 17.3%. Between 2013 and 2021, the number of clinics offering phototherapy declined; facilities were available in only 9.9% of counties, mainly clustered along both coasts and east of the Mississippi. Conclusions: Overall, phototherapy continues to be an important therapeutic option. Limited access in non‐urban areas remains a significant challenge, and further work is necessary to both evaluate this impact and reduce disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses some recommendations for nurse leaders on the prevention of falls among their inpatients. Topics mentioned include the consequences of inpatient falls, the purpose of quality improvement initiatives, the use of peer-to-peer accountability tool to achieve sustainability and the success of bedside leader rounds.

Introduction: Endocrine therapy (ET) is the cornerstone of systemic treatment for patients with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, but its uptake and adherence need further improvement. This observational study assessed ET initiation and 1-year adherence and its survival benefit among female Medicare beneficiaries with early-stage breast cancer. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed the linked 2011–2019 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data. Female beneficiaries newly diagnosed with hormone receptor positive, stage I-III breast cancer were included. Beneficiaries who initiated tamoxifen, anastrozole, letrozole, or exemestane within 3 months after cancer diagnosis were defined as initiators (n = 24,289), and those who never initiated these treatments were noninitiators (n = 8,899). Adherence was measured using proportion of days covered (PDC) in the continuous 12 months follow-up period. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess factors associated with ET initiation and adherence (PDC ≥ 80%), controlling for covariates. Weighted Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of all-cause and breast cancer related mortality between initiators and noninitiators and by adherence status. Results: Among eligible female beneficiaries (n = 55,893), 43% initiated ET within 3 months of cancer diagnosis. Among initiators, 77% had PDC ≥ 80% during the first year. Patient's demographics (e.g., older age, race/ethnicity) and baseline health services utilization (e.g., mammography) were associated with ET initiation and adherence. ET initiation and adherence was associated with reduced risk of all-cause (adjusted HR = 0.62, 0.59–0.66; HR = 0.55, 0.53–0.59; respectively) and breast cancer related (adjusted HR = 0.57, 0.50–0.64; HR = 0.41, 0.36–0.47; respectively) mortality compared with noninitiators. Conclusion: Women with early-stage breast cancer who initiate ET and are adherent to treatment may achieve survival benefits compared with noninitiators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The use of androgen biosynthesis and second-generation androgen receptor inhibitors for advanced prostate cancer is increasing. Because these therapies alter the androgen pathway, they have been associated with cardiometabolic and neurocognitive toxicities. Although their safety profiles have been assessed in clinical trials, real-world data are limited. Methods A 20% sample of national Medicare claims was used to perform a retrospective cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries with advanced prostate cancer treated with androgen biosynthesis (ie, abiraterone) and second-generation androgen receptor inhibitors between 2012 and 2019. Outcomes were assessed after the first fill of either class of drug for the 12-month period after starting therapy. The primary outcome was a hospital admission or emergency department visit for a cardiometabolic event. Secondary outcomes included neurocognitive events and fractures. Multivariable regression was used to assess the association between the class of drug and occurrence of an adverse event. Results There were 3488 (60%) men started on an androgen biosynthesis inhibitor and 2361 (40%) started on an androgen receptor inhibitor for the first time. Cardiometabolic adverse events were more common in men managed with androgen biosynthesis inhibitor (9.2% vs 7.5%, P  = .027). No difference between androgen biosynthesis and androgen receptor inhibitors was observed for neurocognitive events (3.3% vs 3.4%, respectively; P  = .71) or fractures (4.2% vs 3.6%, respectively; P  = .26). Conclusions Men with advanced prostate cancer initiating an androgen biosynthesis inhibitor for the first time more commonly had cardiometabolic events than those started on androgen receptor inhibitors. Neurocognitive events and fractures did not differ by drug class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]