Medicare Claims Research Articles

Social Determinants of Health and Delivery of Rehabilitation to Older Adults During ICU Hospitalization

Older adults with socioeconomic disadvantage develop a greater burden of disability after critical illness than those without socioeconomic disadvantage. The delivery of in-hospital rehabilitation that can mitigate functional decline may be influenced by social determinants of health (SDOH). Whether rehabilitation delivery differs by SDOH during critical illness hospitalization is not known. To evaluate whether SDOH are associated with the delivery of skilled rehabilitation during critical illness hospitalization among older adults. This cohort study used data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study linked with Medicare claims (2011-2018). Participants included older adults hospitalized with a stay in the intensive care unit (ICU). Data were analyzed from August 2022 to September 2023. Dual eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid, education, income, limited English proficiency (LEP), and rural residence. The primary outcome was delivery of physical therapy (PT) and/or occupational therapy (OT) during ICU hospitalization, characterized as any in-hospital PT or OT and rate of in-hospital PT or OT, calculated as total number of units divided by length of stay. In the sample of 1618 ICU hospitalizations (median [IQR] patient age, 81.0 [75.0-86.0] years; 842 [52.0%] female), 371 hospitalizations (22.9%) were among patients with dual Medicare and Medicaid eligibility, 523 hospitalizations (32.6%) were among patients with less than high school education, 320 hospitalizations (19.8%) were for patients with rural residence, and 56 hospitalizations (3.5%) were among patients with LEP. A total of 1076 hospitalized patients (68.5%) received any PT or OT, with a mean rate of 0.94 (95% CI, 0.86-1.02) units/d. After adjustment for age, sex, prehospitalization disability, mechanical ventilation, and organ dysfunction, factors associated with lower odds of receipt of PT or OT included dual Medicare and Medicaid eligibility (adjusted odds ratio, 0.70 [95% CI, 0.50-0.97]) and rural residence (adjusted odds ratio, 0.65 [95% CI, 0.48-0.87]). LEP was associated with a lower rate of PT or OT (adjusted rate ratio, 0.55 [95% CI, 0.32-0.94]). These findings highlight the need to consider SDOH in efforts to promote rehabilitation delivery during ICU hospitalization and to investigate factors underlying inequities in this practice.

Nurse Practitioner Care, Scope of Practice, and End-of-Life Outcomes for Nursing Home Residents With Dementia

Nursing home residents with Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD) often receive burdensome care at the end of life. Nurse practitioners (NPs) provide an increasing share of primary care in nursing homes, but how NP care is associated with end-of-life outcomes for this population is unknown. To examine the association of NP care with end-of-life outcomes for nursing home residents with ADRD and assess whether these associations differ according to state-level NP scope of practice regulations. This cohort study using fee-for-service Medicare claims included 334 618 US nursing home residents with ADRD who died between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2018. Data were analyzed from April 6, 2015, to December 31, 2018. Share of nursing home primary care visits by NPs, classified as minimal (<10% of visits), moderate (10%-50% of visits), and extensive (>50% of visits). State NP scope of practice regulations were classified as full vs restrictive in 2 domains: practice authority (authorization to practice and prescribe independently) and do-not-resuscitate (DNR) authority (authorization to sign DNR orders). Hospitalization within the last 30 days of life and death with hospice. Linear probability models with hospital referral region fixed effects controlling for resident characteristics, visit volume, and geographic factors were used to estimate whether the associations between NP care and outcomes varied across states with different scope of practice regulations. Among 334 618 nursing home decedents (mean [SD] age at death, 86.6 [8.2] years; 69.3% female), 40.5% received minimal NP care, 21.4% received moderate NP care, and 38.0% received extensive NP care. Adjusted hospitalization rates were lower for residents with extensive NP care (31.6% [95% CI, 31.4%-31.9%]) vs minimal NP care (32.3% [95% CI, 32.1%-32.6%]), whereas adjusted hospice rates were higher for residents with extensive (55.6% [95% CI, 55.3%-55.9%]) vs minimal (53.6% [95% CI, 53.3%-53.8%]) NP care. However, there was significant variation by state scope of practice. For example, in full practice authority states, adjusted hospice rates were 2.88 percentage points higher (95% CI, 1.99-3.77; P < .001) for residents with extensive vs minimal NP care, but the difference between these same groups was 1.77 percentage points (95% CI, 1.32-2.23; P < .001) in restricted practice states. Hospitalization rates were 1.76 percentage points lower (95% CI, -2.52 to -1.00; P < .001) for decedents with extensive vs minimal NP care in full practice authority states, but the difference between these same groups in restricted practice states was only 0.43 percentage points (95% CI, -0.84 to -0.01; P < .04). Similar patterns were observed in analyses focused on DNR authority. The findings of this cohort study suggest that NPs appear to be important care providers during the end-of-life period for many nursing home residents with ADRD and that regulations governing NP scope of practice may have implications for end-of-life hospitalizations and hospice use in this population.

Association Between Diagnosis-to-Limb Revascularization Time and Clinical Outcomes in Outpatients With Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia: Insights From the CLIPPER Cohort.

The extent and consequences of ischemia in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) may change rapidly, and delays from diagnosis to revascularization may worsen outcomes. We sought to describe the association between time from diagnosis to endovascular lower extremity revascularization (diagnosis-to-limb revascularization [D2L] time) and clinical outcomes in outpatients with CLTI. In the CLIPPER cohort, comprising patients between 66 and 86 years old diagnosed with CLTI betweeen 2010 and 2019, we used Medicare claims data to identify patients who underwent outpatient endovascular revascularization within 180 days of diagnosis. We described the risk-adjusted association between D2L time and clinical outcomes. Among 1 130 065 patients aged between 66 and 86 years with CLTI, 99 221 (8.8%) underwent outpatient endovascular lower extremity revascularization within 180 days of their CLTI diagnosis. Among patients with D2L time <30 days, there was no association between D2L time and all-cause death or major lower extremity amputation. However, among patients with D2L time >30 days, each additional 10-day increase in D2L time was associated with a 2.5% greater risk of major amputation (hazard ratio, 1.025 [95% CI, 1.014-1.036]). There was no association between D2L time and all-cause death. A delay of >30 days from CLTI diagnosis to lower extremity endovascular revascularization was associated with an increased risk of major lower extremity amputation among patients undergoing outpatient endovascular revascularization. Improving systems of care to reduce D2L time could reduce amputations.

Evaluating algorithms for identifying incident Guillain-Barré Syndrome in Medicare fee-for-service claims

ObjectiveClaims data can be leveraged to study rare diseases such as Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), a neurological autoimmune condition. It is difficult to accurately measure and distinguish true cases of disease with claims without a validated algorithm. Our objective was to identify the best-performing algorithm for identifying incident GBS cases in Medicare fee-for-service claims data using chart reviews as the gold standard. Study design and settingThis was a multi-center, single institution cohort study from 2015 to 2019 that used Medicare-linked electronic health record (EHR) data. We identified 211 patients with a GBS diagnosis code in any position of an inpatient or outpatient claim in Medicare that also had a record of GBS in their electronic medical record. We reported the positive predictive value (PPV = number of true GBS cases/total number of GBS cases identified by the algorithm) for each algorithm tested. We also tested algorithms using several prevalence assumptions for false negative GBS cases and calculated a ranked sum for each algorithm's performance. ResultsWe found that 40 patients out of 211 had a true case of GBS. Algorithm 17, a GBS diagnosis in the primary position of an inpatient claim and a diagnostic procedure within 45 days of the inpatient admission date, had the highest PPV (PPV = 81.6%, 95% CI (69.3, 93.9). Across three prevalence assumptions, Algorithm 15, a GBS diagnosis in the primary position of an inpatient claim, was favored (PPV = 79.5%, 95% CI (67.6, 91.5). ConclusionsOur findings demonstrate that patients with incident GBS can be accurately identified in Medicare claims with a chart-validated algorithm. Using large-scale administrative data to study GBS offers significant advantages over case reports and patient repositories with self-reported data, and may be a potential strategy for the study of other rare diseases.

Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Kidney Failure.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in patients with kidney failure, and their risk of cardiovascular events is 10 to 20 times higher as compared with the general population. We evaluated 508 822 patients who initiated dialysis between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2014 using the United States Renal Data System with linked Medicare claims. We determined hospitalization rates for cardiovascular events, defined by acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, and stroke. We examined the association of sex with outcome of cardiovascular events, cardiovascular death, and all-cause death using adjusted time-to-event models. The mean age was 70±12 years and 44.7% were women. The cardiovascular event rate was 232 per thousand person-years (95% CI, 231-233), with a higher rate in women than in men (248 per thousand person-years [95% CI, 247-250] versus 219 per thousand person-years [95% CI, 217-220]). Women had a 14% higher risk of cardiovascular events than men (hazard ratio [HR], 1.14 [95% CI, 1.13-1.16]). Women had a 16% higher risk of heart failure (HR, 1.16 [95% CI, 1.15-1.18]), a 31% higher risk of stroke (HR, 1.31 [95% CI, 1.28-1.34]), and no difference in risk of acute coronary syndrome (HR, 1.01 [95% CI, 0.99-1.03]). Women had a lower risk of cardiovascular death (HR, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.88-0.90]) and a lower risk of all-cause death than men (HR, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.95-0.97]). Among patients undergoing dialysis, women have a higher risk of cardiovascular events of heart failure and stroke than men. Women have a lower adjusted risk of cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality.

Association of Medicare Home Health Ratings With Older Adult Fall Injuries: An Instrumental Variables Analysis

ObjectivesTo understand the role of high-quality home health care for fall prevention. DesignA 100% sample of national Medicare claims and home health survey data (2015-2017) were used to assess fall injuries and receipt of a fall risk assessment among recently hospitalized Medicare fee-for-service home health users aged ≥66 years. Subanalyses examined patients by prior fall history status and hospital admission diagnosis type (eg, neurologic, respiratory, cardiovascular, infection, and orthopedic diagnoses). An instrumental variables design addressed potential endogeneity in home health care use by patient fall risk. Setting and ParticipantsHome health agencies and Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries. MethodsMultivariate regression and instrumental variables. ResultsAmong 962,610 patients with hospital discharges to home health, being treated by home health agencies with the highest star ratings in a person's zip code was associated with a 1.8–percentage point (ppt) (95% CI: 0.1, 3.5; P = .03) higher likelihood of receipt of fall risk assessment. There was no overall change in 30-day (−0.6 ppt, 95% CI: −1.3, 0.1; P = .09), 15-day (−0.3 ppt, 95% CI: −0.0.8, 0.2; P = .35), or 7-day fall injury risk (−0.2 ppt, 95% CI: −0.5, 0.1; P = .22), but a 1.9-ppt (95% CI: −3.9, −0.02; P = .048) lower 30-day fall injury risk for individuals with a history of falls. Effects were directionally similar by diagnosis type. Conclusions and ImplicationsFall injury risk is reduced at higher-rated home health agencies. Star ratings may be adequate indicators of quality for key outcomes not explicitly measured in the ratings.

Telehealth Expansion and Medicare Beneficiaries' Care Quality and Access.

Understanding the association of telehealth use with health care outcomes is fundamental to determining whether telehealth waivers implemented during the COVID-19 public health emergency should be made permanent. The current literature has yielded inconclusive findings owing to its focus on select states, practices, or health care systems. To estimate the association of telehealth use with outcomes for all Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries by comparing hospital service areas (HSAs) with different levels of telehealth use. This US population-based, retrospective cohort study was conducted from July 2022 to April 2023. Participants included Medicare claims of beneficiaries attributed to HSAs with FFS enrollment in Parts A and B. Low, medium, or high tercile of telehealth use created by ranking HSAs according to the number of telehealth visits per 1000 beneficiaries. The primary outcomes were quality (ambulatory care-sensitive [ACS] hospitalizations and emergency department [ED] visits per 1000 FFS beneficiaries), access to care (clinician encounters per FFS beneficiary), and cost (total cost of care for Part A and/or B services per FFS Medicare beneficiary) determined with a difference-in-difference analysis. In this cohort study of claims from approximately 30 million Medicare beneficiaries (mean [SD] age in 2019, 71.04 [1.67] years; mean [SD] percentage female in 2019, 53.83% [2.14%]) within 3436 HSAs, between the second half of 2019 and the second half of 2021, mean ACS hospitalizations and ED visits declined sharply, mean clinician encounters per beneficiary declined slightly, and mean total cost of care per beneficiary per semester increased slightly. Compared with the low group, the high group had more ACS hospitalizations (1.63 additional hospitalizations per 1000 beneficiaries; 95% CI, 1.03-2.22 hospitalizations), more clinician encounters (0.30 additional encounters per beneficiary per semester; 95% CI, 0.23-0.38 encounters), and higher total cost of care ($164.99 higher cost per beneficiary per semester; 95% CI, $101.03-$228.96). There was no statistically significant difference in ACS ED visits between the low and high groups. In this cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries across all 3436 HSAs, high levels of telehealth use were associated with more clinician encounters, more ACS hospitalizations, and higher total health care costs. COVID-19 cases were still high during the period of study, which suggests that these findings partially reflect a higher capacity for providing health services in HSAs with higher telehealth intensity than other HSAs.

Variability in Short-term Mortality Following Repair of Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms Across Centers and Physicians

Variation in the care management of repairs for ruptured infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAA) between centers and physicians, e.g., the procedural volumes may explain differences in mortality outcomes. First, we quantified the center and physician variability associated with 30- and 90-day mortality risk following open (rOSR) and endovascular (rEVAR) aneurysm repair. Second, we explored wheter part of this variability was attributable to procedural volume at the center and physician level. Two cohorts including rOSR and rEVAR procedures between 2013-2019 were analyzed from the Vascular Quality Initiative database. Thirty- and 90-day all-cause mortality was derived from linked Medicare claims data. The median odds ratio (MOR, median mortality risk from low- to high-risk cluster) and intraclass correlation (ICC, variability attributable to each cluster) for 30- and 90-day mortality risk associated with center and physician variability were derived using patient-level adjusted multilevel logistic regression models. Procedural volume was calculated at the center and physician levels and stratified by quartiles. The models were sequentially adjusted for volumes, and the difference in ICC (without vs. with accounting for volume) was calculated to describe the center and physician variability in mortality risk attributable to volumes. We included 450 rOSRs (mean age=74.5±7.6 years; 23.5% female) and 752 rEVARs (76.4±8.4 years; 26.1% female). Following rOSRs, the 30- and 90-day mortality rates were 32.9% and 38.7%. No variability across centers and physicians was noted (30- and 90-day MORs ≈ 1 and ICCs ≈ 0%). Neither center nor physician volume was associated with 30-day(P=.477 and P=.796) or 90-day mortality (P=.098 and P=.559). Following rEVAR, the 30- and 90-day mortality rate was 21.3% and 25.5%, respectively. Significant center variability (30-day MOR=1.82 95%CI 1.33-2.22 and ICC=11% 95%CI 2%-36%; 90-day MOR=1.76 95%CI 1.37-2.09 and ICC=10% 95%CI 3%-30%), but negligeable variability across physicians (30- and 90-day MORs≈1 and ICCs ≈ 0%) were noted. Neither center nor physician volume was associated with 30- (P=.076 and P=.336) nor 90-day mortality risk (P=.066 and P=.584). The center variability attributable to procedural volumes was negligeable (difference in ICCs: 1% for 30-day; 0% for 90-day mortality). Variability in practice from center-to-center was associated with short-term mortality outcomes in rEVAR, but not for rOSR. Physician variability was not associated with short-term mortality for rOSR or rEVAR. Annualized center and physician volumes did not significantly explain these associations. Further work is needed to identify center-level factors affecting the quality of care and outcomes for ruptured AAA.

The Role of Delirium on Short- and Long-Term Postoperative Outcomes Following Major Gastrointestinal Surgery for Cancer.

The growing burden of an aging population has raised concerns about demands on healthcare systems and resources, particularly in the context of surgical and cancer care. Delirium can affect treatment outcomes and patient recovery. We sought to determine the prevalence of postoperative delirium among patients undergoing digestive tract surgery for malignant indications and to analyze the role of delirium on surgical outcomes. Medicare claims data were queried to identify patients diagnosed with esophageal, gastric, hepatobiliary, pancreatic, and colorectal cancers between 2018 and 2021. Postoperative delirium, occurring within 30 days of operation, was identified via International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition codes. Clinical outcomes of interested included "ideal" textbook outcome (TO), characterized as the absence of complications, an extended hospital stay, readmission within 90 days, or mortality within 90 days. Discharge disposition, intensive care unit (ICU) utilization, and expenditures also were examined. Among 115,654 cancer patients (esophageal: n = 1854, 1.6%; gastric: n = 4690, 4.1%; hepatobiliary: n = 6873, 5.9%; pancreatic: n = 8912, 7.7%; colorectal: n = 93,325, 90.7%), 2831 (2.4%) were diagnosed with delirium within 30 days after surgery. On multivariable analysis, patients with delirium were less likely to achieve TO (OR 0.27 [95% CI 0.25-0.30]). In particular, patients who experienced delirium had higher odds of complications (OR 3.00 [2.76-3.25]), prolonged length of stay (OR 3.46 [3.18-3.76]), 90-day readmission (OR 1.96 [1.81-2.12]), and 90-day mortality (OR 2.78 [2.51-3.08]). Furthermore, patients with delirium had higher ICU utilization (OR 2.85 [2.62-3.11]). Upon discharge, patients with delirium had a decreased likelihood of being sent home (OR 0.40 [0.36-0.46]) and instead were more likely to be transferred to a skilled nursing facility (OR 2.17 [1.94-2.44]). Due to increased utilization of hospital resources, patients with delirium incurred in-hospital expenditures that were 55.4% higher (no delirium: $16,284 vs. delirium: $28,742) and 90-day expenditures that were 100.7% higher (no delirium: $2564 vs. delirium: $8226) (both p < 0.001). Notably, 3-year postoperative survival was adversely affected by delirium (no delirium: 55.5% vs. delirium: 37.3%), even after adjusting risk for confounding factors (HR 1.79 [1.70-1.90]; p < 0.001). Postoperative delirium occurred in one in 50 patients undergoing surgical resection of a digestive tract cancer. Delirium was linked to a reduced likelihood of achieving an optimal postoperative outcome, increased ICU utilization, higher expenditures, and a worse long-term prognosis. Initiatives to prevent delirium are vital to improve postoperative outcomes among cancer surgery patients.

Evacuation and Health Care Outcomes Among Assisted Living Residents After Hurricane Irma

Evacuation has been found to be associated with adverse outcomes among nursing home residents during hurricanes, but the outcomes for assisted living (AL) residents remain unknown. To examine the association between evacuation and health care outcomes (ie, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, mortality, and nursing home visits) among Florida AL residents exposed to Hurricane Irma. Retrospective cohort study using 2017 Medicare claims data. Participants were a cohort of Florida AL residents who were aged 65 years or older, enrolled in Medicare fee-for-service, and resided in 9-digit zip codes corresponding to US assisted living communities with 25 or more beds on September 10, 2017, the day of Hurricane Irma's landfall. Propensity score matching was used to match evacuated residents to those that sheltered-in-place based on resident and AL characteristics. Data were analyzed from September 2022 to February 2024. Whether the AL community evacuated or sheltered-in-place before Hurricane Irma made landfall. Thirty- and 90-day emergency department visits, hospitalizations, mortality, and nursing home admissions. The study cohort included 25 130 Florida AL residents (mean [SD] age 81 [9] years); 3402 (13.5%) evacuated and 21 728 (86.5%) did not evacuate. The evacuated group had 2223 women (65.3%), and the group that sheltered-in-place had 14 556 women (67.0%). In the evacuated group, 42 residents (1.2%) were Black, 93 (2.7%) were Hispanic, and 3225 (94.8%) were White. In the group that sheltered in place, 490 residents (2.3%) were Black, 707 (3.3%) were Hispanic, and 20 212 (93.0%) were White. After 1:4 propensity score matching, when compared with sheltering-in-place, evacuation was associated with a 16% greater odds of emergency department visits (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.16; 95% CI, 1.01-1.33; P = .04) and 51% greater odds of nursing home visits (AOR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.14-2.00; P = .01) within 30 days of Hurricane Irma's landfall. Hospitalization and mortality did not vary significantly by evacuation status within 30 or 90 days after the landfall date. In this cohort study of Florida AL residents, there was an increased risk of nursing home and emergency department visits within 30 days of Hurricane Irma's landfall among residents from communities that evacuated before the storm when compared with residents from communities that sheltered-in-place. The stress and disruption caused by evacuation may yield poorer immediate health outcomes after a major storm for AL residents. Therefore, the potential benefits and harms of evacuating vs sheltering-in-place must be carefully considered when developing emergency planning and response.

Assisted living residents with dementia: Disparities in mental health services pre and during COVID-19.

Little is known about mental health among Medicare beneficiaries with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias (ADRD) who reside in assisted living (AL) communities. The COVID-19 pandemic may have curtailed ambulatory care access for these residents, but telehealth may have expanded it. We examined in-person and telehealth use of ambulatory mental health visits among AL residents with ADRD, pre and during the COVID pandemic, focusing on race/ethnicity and Medicare/Medicaid dual status. A CY2018 cohort of AL residents with ADRD was identified. Outcome was any quarterly in-person or telemedicine mental health visit based on national CY2019-2020 Medicare claims. Key independent variables were individual race/ethnicity and dual status and the AL-level proportion of dual residents. We estimated a linear probability model with random effects and robust standard errors. Quarterly indicators captured service use before and after the onset of the pandemic. The study included 102,758 fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries with ADRD in 13,400 ALs. One in five residents had any mental health visits prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Black residents, and those with dual Medicare/Medicaid eligibility, were significantly less likely to use mental health services prior to and during the pandemic. There were no significant differences in visits via telemedicine by race/ethnicity or individual dual status. Residents in AL communities with a higher proportion of duals had a lower likelihood of visits before and during the pandemic. Mental health service use among AL residents with ADRD was low and declining prior to the pandemic. Telehealth allowed for mental health visits to continue during the pandemic, albeit at a lower level. Residents in ALs with a higher proportion of duals were less likely to have in-person or telehealth visits. The results suggest that some ALs may find it difficult to assure mental health service provision to this vulnerable population.

Comparison of Hospital Mortality and Readmission Rates by Physician and Patient Sex.

Little is known as to whether the effects of physician sex on patients' clinical outcomes vary by patient sex. To examine whether the association between physician sex and hospital outcomes varied between female and male patients hospitalized with medical conditions. Retrospective observational study. Medicare claims data. 20% random sample of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries hospitalized with medical conditions during 2016 to 2019 and treated by hospitalists. The primary outcomes were patients' 30-day mortality and readmission rates, adjusted for patient and physician characteristics and hospital-level averages of exposures (effectively comparing physicians within the same hospital). Of 458 108 female and 318 819 male patients, 142 465 (31.1%) and 97 500 (30.6%) were treated by female physicians, respectively. Both female and male patients had a lower patient mortality when treated by female physicians; however, the benefit of receiving care from female physicians was larger for female patients than for male patients (difference-in-differences, -0.16 percentage points [pp] [95% CI, -0.42 to 0.10 pp]). For female patients, the difference between female and male physicians was large and clinically meaningful (adjusted mortality rates, 8.15% vs. 8.38%; average marginal effect [AME], -0.24 pp [CI, -0.41 to -0.07 pp]). For male patients, an important difference between female and male physicians could be ruled out (10.15% vs. 10.23%; AME, -0.08 pp [CI, -0.29 to 0.14 pp]). The pattern was similar for patients' readmission rates. The findings may not be generalizable to younger populations. The findings indicate that patients have lower mortality and readmission rates when treated by female physicians, and the benefit of receiving treatments from female physicians is larger for female patients than for male patients. Gregory Annenberg Weingarten, GRoW @ Annenberg.

Effect of Health Service Area on Primary Care Physician Provision of Low-Value Cancer Screening.

Using a health systems approach to investigate low-value care (LVC) may provide insights into structural drivers of this pervasive problem. To evaluate the influence of service area practice patterns on low-value mammography and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing. Retrospective study analyzing LVC rates between 2008 and 2018, leveraging physician relocation in 3-year intervals of matched physician and patient groups. U.S. Medicare claims data. 8254 physicians and 56 467 patients aged 75 years or older. LVC rates for physicians staying in their original service area and those relocating to new areas. Physicians relocating from higher-LVC areas to low-LVC areas were more likely to provide lower rates of LVC. For mammography, physicians staying in high-LVC areas (LVC rate, 10.1% [95% CI, 8.8% to 12.2%]) or medium-LVC areas (LVC rate, 10.3% [CI, 9.0% to 12.4%]) provided LVC at a higher rate than physicians relocating from those areas to low-LVC areas (LVC rates, 6.0% [CI, 4.4% to 7.5%] [difference, -4.1 percentage points {CI, -6.7 to -2.3 percentage points}] and 5.9% [CI, 4.6% to 7.8%] [difference, -4.4 percentage points {CI, -6.7 to -2.4 percentage points}], respectively). For PSA testing, physicians staying in high- or moderate-LVC service areas provided LVC at a rate of 17.5% (CI, 14.9% to 20.7%) or 10.6% (CI, 9.6% to 13.2%), respectively, compared with those relocating from those areas to low-LVC areas (LVC rates, 9.9% [CI, 7.5% to 13.2%] [difference, -7.6 percentage points {CI, -10.9 to -3.8 percentage points}] and 6.2% [CI, 3.5% to 9.8%] [difference, -4.4 percentage points {CI, -7.6 to -2.2 percentage points}], respectively). Physicians relocating from lower- to higher-LVC service areas were not more likely to provide LVC at a higher rate. Use of retrospective observational data, possible unmeasured confounding, and potential for relocating physicians to practice differently from those who stay. Physicians relocating to service areas with lower rates of LVC provided less LVC than physicians who stayed in areas with higher rates of LVC. Systemic structures may contribute to LVC. Understanding which factors are contributing may present opportunities for policy and interventions to broadly improve care. National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

Comparing PCSK9 Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Strategies Following Myocardial Infarction Using Negative Control Outcomes: A Target Trial Emulation Study.

Initiation of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 monoclonal antibody (PCSK9 mAb) for lipid-lowering following myocardial infarction (MI) is likely affected by patients' prognostic factors, potentially leading to bias when comparing real-world treatment effects. Using target-trial emulation, we assessed potential confounding when comparing two treatment strategies post-MI: initiation of PCSK9 mAb within 1 year and no initiation of PCSK9 mAb. We identified MI hospitalizations during July 2015-June 2020 for patients aged ≥18 years in Optum's de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart (CDM) and MarketScan, and aged ≥66 in US Medicare claims database. We estimated 3-year counterfactual cumulative risk and risk difference (RD) for 10 negative control outcomes using the clone-censor-weight approach to address time-varying confounding and immortal person-time. PCSK9 mAb initiation within 1-year post-MI was low (0.7% in MarketScan and 0.4% in both CDM and Medicare databases). In CDM, there was a lower risk for cancer (RD = -3.6% [95% CI: -4.3%, -2.9%]), decubitus ulcer (RD = -7.7% [95% CI: -11.8%, -3.7%]), fracture (RD = -8.1% [95% CI: -9.6%, -6.6%]), influenza vaccine (RD = -9.3% [95% CI: -17.5%, -1.1%]), and visual test (RD = -0.6% [95% CI: -0.7%, -0.6%]) under the PCSK9 mAb initiation vs. no initiation strategy. Similar differences persisted in the MarketScan and Medicare databases. In each database, ezetimibe and low-density lipoprotein testing were unbalanced between treatment strategies. A comparative effectiveness study of these treatments using the current approach would likely bias results due to the low number of PCSK9 mAb initiators.

Percutaneous image-guided lumbar decompression and outpatient laminectomy for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis: a 2-year Medicare claims benchmark study

BackgroundThis prospective longitudinal study compares outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries receiving outpatient percutaneous image-guided lumbar decompression (PILD) using the mild® procedure to patients undergoing outpatient laminectomy. All patients were diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) with neurogenic claudication (NC). MethodsAll medical claims for 100 % of Medicare beneficiaries were reviewed, with study subjects identified using Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Research Identifiable Files. Baseline data were extracted individually to allow for longitudinal analysis through two-year follow-up. The index procedure was defined as the first mild or outpatient laminectomy during the enrollment period. The rate of subsequent surgical procedures and incidence of harms were used as study outcomes. ResultsCohorts included 2197 mild and 7416 laminectomy patients. mild patients were significantly older (76.7 years versus 73.4 years, respectively; p < 0.0001), and 57.4 % of mild were female, compared to 43.3 % of laminectomy (p < 0.0001). mild patients presented with significantly more baseline comorbidities compared to laminectomy patients (mean of 5.7 versus 4.8, respectively; p < 0.0001). Subsequent surgical procedure rate of 9.0 % for mild was significantly higher than 5.5 % for laminectomy (p < 0.0001). mild experienced harms at a significantly lower rate than laminectomy (1.9 % versus 5.8 %, respectively; p < 0.0001). The composite rate of subsequent surgical procedures and harms was similar between groups at 10.8 % for mild and 11.0 % for laminectomy. Conclusionsmild can be considered a viable option for treatment of LSS with NC as evidenced by real-world data in this study. At two-years, mild patients experienced fewer harms and underwent more subsequent surgical procedures than laminectomy patients. The higher rate of subsequent surgical procedures for mild may be attributable to its position earlier in the LSS treatment algorithm. The overall rate of harms and subsequent surgical procedures was similar between groups, suggesting that mild should be considered as a treatment option, particularly for older patients with multiple comorbidities.

Post-discharge Mental Healthcare and Emergency General Surgery Readmission for Patients with Serious Mental Illness.

To determine the association between post-discharge mental healthcare and odds of readmission after emergency general surgery (EGS) hospitalization for patients with serious mental illness (SMI). A mental health visit (MHV) after medical hospitalization is associated with decreased readmissions for patients with SMI. The impact of a MHV after surgical hospitalization is unknown. Using Medicare claims, we performed a retrospective cohort study of hospitalized EGS patients with SMI aged >65.5 (2016-2018). EGS included colorectal, general abdominal, hepatopancreatobiliary, hernia, intestinal obstruction, resuscitation, and upper gastrointestinal conditions. SMI was defined as schizophrenia spectrum, mood, or anxiety disorders. The exposure was MHV within 30 days of discharge. The primary outcome was 30-day readmission. Secondary outcomes included emergency department presentation and psychiatric admission. Inverse probability weighting was used to evaluated outcomes. Of 88,092 analyzed patients, 11,755 (13.3%) had a MHV within 30 days of discharge. 23,696 (26.9%) of patients were managed operatively, 64,395 (73.1%) non-operatively. After adjustment for potential confounders, patients with a post-discharge MHV had lower odds of acute care readmission than patients without a MHV in both operative (OR 0.60; 95% CI: [0.40-0.90]) and non-operative (OR 0.67; 95% CI [0.53-0.84]) cohorts. There was no association between post-discharge MHV and ED presentation or psychiatric admission in the operative or non-operative groups. Post-discharge MHV after EGS hospitalization was associated with decreased odds of readmission for patients with SMI managed operatively and nonoperatively. In older EGS patients with SMI, coordination of MHVs may be a mechanism to reduce readmission disparities.

Self-reported Visual Difficulty, Age-related Eye Disease, and Neuropsychiatric Outcomes in Older Adults

ABSTRACT Purpose Self-reported visual difficulty is consistently associated with dementia and other neuropsychiatric outcomes, but studies of specific age-related eye diseases have yielded conflicting results. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from The National Health and Aging Trends Study, an ongoing nationally representative survey of older U.S. adults (n = 10,089). All subjects are screened for self-reported visual difficulty annually. Using linked Medicare claims data, we identified subjects with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), diabetic retinopathy, and cataract. For each condition, controls with complete Medicare eligibility and at least one eye care encounter were selected. We used semiparametric discrete time proportional hazards models to measure associations with incident dementia, and generalized estimating equations to examine longitudinal associations with depression, anxiety, and hallucinations, adjusting for baseline demographics and time-varying comorbidities. Results Self-reported visual difficulty was associated with dementia (HR 1.16, 95% CI: 1.00–1.34), depression (OR 1.14, 95% CI: 1.04–1.26), anxiety (OR 1.17, 95% CI: 1.06–1.29), and hallucinations (OR 1.54, 95% CI: 1.29–1.84). Diabetic retinopathy was associated with depression (OR 1.31, 95% CI: 1.05–1.64), and cataracts were associated with a lower risk of depression (OR 0.84, 95% CI: 0.74–0.95) and anxiety (OR 0.86, 95% CI: 0.75–0.99). There were no other associations between age-related eye disease and neuropsychiatric outcomes. Conclusion Self-reported visual difficulty is associated with dementia and other neuropsychiatric outcomes to a greater degree than age-related eye disease. These findings highlight the distinction between self-reported vision and clinically diagnosed eye disease with regard to health outcomes in older adults.

Characteristics and Practice Patterns of Non-certified Surgeons Treating Medicare Patients.

The objective of this study is to explore the patient characteristics and practice patterns of non-certified surgeons who treat Medicare patients in the United States. While most surgeons in the United States are board-certified, non-certified surgeons are permitted to practice in many locations. At the same time, surgical workforce shortages threaten access to surgical care for many patients. It is possible that non-certified surgeons may be able to help fill these access gaps. However, little is known about the practice patterns of non-certified surgeons. A 100% sample of Medicare claims data from 2014-2019 were used to identify practicing general surgeons. Surgeons were categorized as certified or non-certified in general surgery​​ based on data from the American Board of Surgery. Surgeon practice patterns and patient characteristics were analyzed. A total of 2,097,206 patient cases were included in the study. These patients were treated by 16,076 surgeons, of which 6% were identified as non-certified surgeons. Compared to certified surgeons, non-certified surgeons were less frequently fellowship-trained (20.5% vs. 24.2%, P=0.008) and more likely to be a foreign medical graduate (14.5% vs. 9.2%, P<0.001). Non-certified surgeons were more frequently practicing in for-profit hospitals (21.2% vs. 14.2%, P<0.001) and critical access hospitals (2.2% vs. 1.3%, P<0.001), and were less likely to practice in a teaching hospital (63.2% vs. 72.4%, P<0.001). Compared to certified surgeons, non-certified surgeons treated more non-White patients (19.6% vs. 14%, P<0.001) as well as a higher percentage of patients in the two lowest socioeconomic status (SES) quintiles (36.2% vs. 29.2%, P<0.001). Operations related to emergency admissions were more common amongst non-certified surgeons (68.8% vs. 55.7%, P<0.001). There were no differences in gender or age of the patients treated by certified and non-certified surgeons. For Medicare patients, non-certified surgeons treated more patients who are non-White, of lower SES, and in more rural, critical-access hospitals.

National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale Reporting in Medicare Claims Data: Reporting in the First 3 Years.

Since 2016, hospitals have been able to document International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes for the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). As of 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services uses NIHSS as a risk adjustment variable. We assessed associations between patient- and hospital-level variables and contemporary NIHSS reporting. We performed a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 2019 acute ischemic stroke admissions using deidentified, national 100% inpatient Medicare Fee-For-Service data sets. We identified index acute ischemic stroke admissions using the ICD-10-CM code I63.x and abstracted demographic information, medical comorbidities, hospital characteristics, and NIHSS. We linked Medicare and Mount Sinai Health System (New York, NY) registry data from 2016 to 2019. We calculated NIHSS documentation at the patient and hospital levels, predictors of documentation, change over time, and concordance with local data. There were 231 383 index acute ischemic stroke admissions in 2019. NIHSS was documented in 44.4% of admissions and by 66.5% of hospitals. Hospitals that documented ≥1 NIHSS were more commonly teaching hospitals (39.0% versus 5.5%; standardized mean difference score, 0.88), stroke certified (37.2% versus 8.0%; standardized mean difference score, 0.75), higher volume (mean, 80.8 [SD, 92.6] versus 6.33 [SD, 14.1]; standardized mean difference score, 1.12), and had intensive care unit availability (84.9% versus 23.2%; standardized mean difference score, 1.57). Adjusted odds of documentation were lower for patients with inpatient mortality (odds ratio, 0.64 [95% CI, 0.61-0.68]; P<0.0001), in nonmetropolitan areas (odds ratio, 0.49 [95% CI, 0.40-0.61]; P<0.0001), and male sex (odds ratio, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.93-0.97]; P<0.0001). NIHSS was documented for 52.9% of Medicare cases versus 93.1% of registry cases, and 74.7% of Medicare NIHSS scores equaled registry admission NIHSS. Missing ICD-10-CM NIHSS data remain widespread 3 years after the introduction of the ICD-10-CM NIHSS code, and there are systematic differences in reporting at the patient and hospital levels. These findings support continued assessment of NIHSS reporting and caution in its application to risk adjustment models.

Comparative Effectiveness of Placental Allografts in the Treatment of Diabetic Lower Extremity Ulcers and Venous Leg Ulcers in U.S. Medicare Beneficiaries: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study Using Real-World Evidence.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of cellular tissue products (CTP) versus standard care in U.S. Medicare beneficiaries with diabetic lower extremity ulcers (DLEUs) or venous leg ulcers (VLUs). Approach: We performed a retrospective cohort study using real-world evidence from U.S. Medicare claims for DLEUs or VLUs between 2016 and 2020. There were three cohorts evaluated: viable cryopreserved placental membrane (vCPM) or viable lyopreserved placental membrane (vLPM); other CTP; and standard care. Claims were collapsed into episodes of care. Univariate and bivariate statistics were used to examine the frequency distribution of demographics and clinical variables. Multivariable zero-inflated binomial regressions were used to evaluate mortality and recurrence trends. Logistic regression compared three adverse outcomes (AOs): amputation; 1-year mortality; and wound recurrence. Results: There were 333,362 DLEU episodes among 261,101 beneficiaries, and 122,012 VLU episodes among 80,415 beneficiaries. DLEU treatment with vLPM was associated with reduced 1-year mortality (-26%), reduced recurrence (-91%), and reduced AOs (-71%). VLU treatment with vCPM or vLPM was associated with reduced 1-year mortality (-23%), reduced recurrence (-80%), and 66.77% reduction in AOs. These allografts were also associated with a 49% and 73% reduced risk of recurrence in DLEU and VLU, respectively, compared with other CTPs. Finally, vCPM or vLPM were associated with noninferior prevention of AOs related to amputation, mortality, and recurrence (95% CI: 0.69-1.14). Conclusions: DLEUs and VLUs treated with vCPM and vLPM allografts are associated with lowered 1-year mortality, wound recurrence, and AOs in DLEUs and VLUs compared with standard care. Decision makers weighing coverage of placental allografts should consider these added short- and long-term clinical benefits relative to costly management and high mortality of Medicare's most frequent wounds.