Plan Members Research Articles

Shifts in Diagnostic Testing for Headache in the Emergency Department, 2015 to 2021

Subarachnoid hemorrhage is typically diagnosed by noncontrast head computed tomography (CT); lumbar puncture is recommended if computed tomography is nondiagnostic, although CT cerebral angiography has been promoted as an alternative to lumbar puncture in this diagnostic pathway. The outcomes of this debate in practice have not been studied. To determine whether CT cerebral angiography use has increased in lieu of lumbar puncture among emergency department (ED) patients with headache, with an increase in unruptured intracranial aneurysm detection. This retrospective cohort study took place in 21 community EDs of an integrated health care system in Northern California between 2015 and 2021. Participants were adult (aged >17 years) health plan members with a chief concern of headache. Exclusions were prior diagnoses of subarachnoid hemorrhage, unruptured intracranial aneurysm, cerebral arteriovenous malformation, or cerebrospinal fluid shunt. Data were analyzed from October to November 2023. CT cerebral angiography and/or lumbar puncture during the ED encounter. Primary and secondary outcomes were 14-day and 90-day unruptured intracranial aneurysm detection, respectively. Safety outcomes were missed diagnoses of subarachnoid hemorrhage or bacterial meningitis. The annual incidence of unruptured intracranial aneurysm detection was normalized to the incidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage (UIA:SAH ratio). Average annualized percentage changes were quantified using joinpoint regression analysis. Among 198 109 included ED encounters, the mean (SD) age was 47.5 (18.4) years; 140 001 patients (70.7%) were female; 29 035 (14.7%) were Black or African American, 59 896 (30.2%) were Hispanic or Latino, and 75 602 (38.2%) were White. Per year, CT cerebral angiography use increased (18.8%; 95% CI, 17.7% to 20.3%) and lumbar punctures decreased (-11.1%; 95% CI, -12.0% to -10.4%), with a corresponding increase in the 14-day UIA:SAH ratio (3.5%; 95% CI, 0.9% to 7.4%). Overall, computed tomography cerebral angiography use increased 6-fold relative to lumbar puncture, with a 33% increase in the detection of UIA. Results were similar at 90 days and robust to sensitivity analyses. Subarachnoid hemorrhage (1004 cases) and bacterial meningitis (118 cases) were misdiagnosed in 5% and 18% of cases, respectively, with no annual trends (P = .34; z1003 = .95 and P = .74; z117 = -.34, respectively). In this cohort study of ED patients with headache, increases in CT cerebral angiography use were associated with fewer lumbar punctures and higher detection of unruptured intracranial aneurysms, with no significant change in missed diagnoses of subarachnoid hemorrhage or bacterial meningitis. While this shift in diagnostic strategy appeared safe in the short-term, the long-term consequences remain unclear.

Leveraging data to support health equity in an integrated delivery and finance system.

To accelerate healthcare transformation and advance health equity, scientists in learning health systems (LHSs) require ready access to integrated, comprehensive data that includes information on social determinants of health (SDOH). We describe how an integrated delivery and finance system leveraged its learning ecosystem to advance health equity through (a) a cross-sector initiative to integrate healthcare and human services data for better meeting clients' holistic needs and (b) a system-level initiative to collect and use patient-reported SDOH data for connecting patients to needed resources. Through these initiatives, we strengthened our health system's capacity to meet diverse patient needs, address health disparities, and improve health outcomes. By sharing and integrating healthcare and human services data, we identified 281 000 Shared Services Clients and enhanced care management for 100 adult Medicaid/Special Needs Plan members. Over a 1-year period, we screened 9173 (37%) patients across UPMC's Women's Health Services Line and connected over 700 individuals to social services and supports. Opportunities exist for LHSs to improve, expand, and sustain their innovative data practices. As learnings continue to emerge, LHSs will be well positioned to accelerate healthcare transformation and advance health equity.

Association of State Insulin Out-of-Pocket Caps With Insulin Cost-Sharing and Use Among Commercially Insured Patients With Diabetes : A Pre-Post Study With a Control Group.

Twenty-five states have implemented insulin out-of-pocket (OOP) cost caps, but their effectiveness is uncertain. To examine the effect of state insulin OOP caps on insulin use and OOP costs among commercially insured persons with diabetes. Pre-post study with control group. Eight states implementing insulin OOP caps of $25 to $30, $50, or $100 in January 2021, and 17 control states. Commercially insured persons with diabetes and insulin users younger than 65 years. Subgroups of particular interest included members from states with insulin OOP caps of $25 to $30, enrollees with health savings accounts (HSAs) that require high insulin OOP payments, and lower-income members. Mean monthly 30-day insulin fills and OOP costs. State insulin caps were not associated with changes in insulin use in the overall population (relative change in fills per month, 1.8% [95% CI, -3.2% to 6.9%]). Insulin users in intervention states saw a 17.4% (CI, -23.9% to -10.9%) relative reduction in insulin OOP costs, largely driven by reductions among HSA enrollees; there was no difference in OOP costs among nonaccount plan members. More generous ($25 to $30) state insulin OOP caps were associated with insulin OOP cost reductions of 40.0% (CI, -62.5% to -17.6%), again primarily driven by a larger reduction in the subgroup with HSA plans. Single national insurer; 9-month follow-up. Insulin OOP caps were associated with reduced insulin OOP costs but no overall increases in insulin use. A proposed national insulin cap of $35 for commercially insured persons might lead to meaningful insulin OOP savings but have a limited effect on insulin use. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Temporal changes in mammographic breast density and breast cancer risk among women with benign breast disease

IntroductionBenign breast disease (BBD) and high mammographic breast density (MBD) are prevalent and independent risk factors for invasive breast cancer. It has been suggested that temporal changes in MBD may impact future invasive breast cancer risk, but this has not been studied among women with BBD.MethodsWe undertook a nested case–control study within a cohort of 15,395 women with BBD in Kaiser Permanente Northwest (KPNW; 1970–2012, followed through mid-2015). Cases (n = 261) developed invasive breast cancer > 1 year after BBD diagnosis, whereas controls (n = 249) did not have breast cancer by the case diagnosis date. Cases and controls were individually matched on BBD diagnosis age and plan membership duration. Standardized %MBD change (per 2 years), categorized as stable/any increase (≥ 0%), minimal decrease of less than 5% or a decrease greater than or equal to 5%, was determined from baseline and follow-up mammograms. Associations between MBD change and breast cancer risk were examined using adjusted unconditional logistic regression.ResultsOverall, 64.5% (n = 329) of BBD patients had non-proliferative and 35.5% (n = 181) had proliferative disease with/without atypia. Women with an MBD decrease (≤ − 5%) were less likely to develop breast cancer (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.64; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.38, 1.07) compared with women with minimal decreases. Associations were stronger among women ≥ 50 years at BBD diagnosis (OR 0.48; 95% CI 0.25, 0.92) and with proliferative BBD (OR 0.32; 95% CI 0.11, 0.99).DiscussionAssessment of temporal MBD changes may inform risk monitoring among women with BBD, and strategies to actively reduce MBD may help decrease future breast cancer risk.

Patient Safety Indicators During the Initial COVID-19 Pandemic Surge in the United States.

The COVID-19 pandemic presented a challenge to inpatient safety. It is unknown whether there were spillover effects due to COVID-19 into non-COVID-19 care and safety. We sought to evaluate the changes in inpatient Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality patient safety indicators (PSIs) in the United States before and during the first surge of the pandemic among patients admitted without COVID-19. We analyzed trends in PSIs from January 2019 to June 2020 in patients without COVID-19 using data from IBM MarketScan Commercial Database. We included members of employer-sponsored or Medicare supplemental health plans with inpatient, non-COVID-19 admissions. The primary outcomes were risk-adjusted composite and individual PSIs. We analyzed 1,869,430 patients admitted without COVID-19. Among patients without COVID-19, the composite PSI score was not significantly different when comparing the first surge (Q2 2020) to the prepandemic period (e.g., Q2 2020 score of 2.46 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 2.34-2.58] versus Q1 2020 score of 2.37 [95% CI, 2.27-2.46]; P = 0.22). Individual PSIs for these patients during Q2 2020 were also not significantly different, except in-hospital fall with hip fracture (e.g., Q2 2020 was 3.42 [95% CI, 3.34-3.49] versus Q4 2019 was 2.45 [95% CI, 2.40-2.50]; P = 0.01). The first surge of COVID-19 was not associated with worse inpatient safety for patients without COVID-19, highlighting the ability of the healthcare system to respond to the initial surge of the pandemic.

A telemedicine bridge clinic improves access and reduces cost for opioid use disorder care

ObjectiveWe evaluated the impact of a telemedicine bridge clinic on treatment outcomes and cost for patients with opioid use disorder. Telemedicine bridge clinics deliver low-barrier rapid assessment of patients with opioid use disorder via audio-only and audiovisual telemedicine to facilitate induction on medication therapy and connection to ongoing care. MethodsA pre-post analysis of UPMC Health Plan member claims was performed to evaluate the impact of this intervention on the trajectory of care for patients with continuous coverage before and after bridge clinic visit(s). ResultsAnalysis included 150 UPMC Health Plan members evaluated at the bridge clinic between April 2020 and October 2021. At least one buprenorphine prescription was filled within 30 days by 91% of patients; median proportion of days covered by buprenorphine was 73.3%, 54.4%, and 50.6% at 30, 90, and 180 days after an initial visit compared to median of no buprenorphine claims 30 days prior among the same patients. Patients had an 18% decline in unplanned care utilization 30 days after initial Bridge Clinic visit, with a 62% reduction in unplanned care cost per member per month (PMPM), 38% reduction in medical cost PMPM, and 10% reduction in total PMPM (medical + pharmacy cost) at 180 days. Primary care, outpatient behavioral health, and laboratory costs increased while emergency department, urgent care, and inpatient costs declined. ConclusionUtilization of a telemedicine bridge clinic was associated with buprenorphine initiation, linkage to ongoing care with retention including medication treatment, reduced unplanned care cost, and overall savings.

Sex Disparities in Longitudinal Use and Intensification of Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy Among Patients With Newly Diagnosed Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Guideline-directed medical therapies (GDMTs) are the mainstay of treatment for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), but they are underused. Whether sex differences exist in the initiation and intensification of GDMT for newly diagnosed HFrEF is not well established. Patients with incident HFrEF were identified from the 2016 to 2020 Optum deidentified Clinformatics Data Mart Database, which is derived from a database of administrative health claims for members of large commercial and Medicare Advantage health plans. The primary outcome was the use of optimal GDMT within 12 months of HFrEF diagnosis. Consistent with the guideline recommendations during the time period of the study, optimal GDMT was defined as ≥50% of the target dose of evidence-based beta-blocker plus ≥50% of the target dose of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker, or any dose of angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor plus any dose of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist. The probability of achieving optimal GDMT on follow-up and predictors of optimal GDMT were evaluated with time-to-event analysis with adjusted Cox proportional hazard models. The study cohort included 63 759 patients (mean age, 71.3 years; 15.2% non-Hispanic Black race; 56.6% male). Optimal GDMT use was achieved by 6.2% of patients at 12 months after diagnosis. Female (compared with male) patients with HFrEF had lower use across every GDMT class and lower use of optimal GDMT at each time point at follow-up. In an adjusted Cox model, female sex was associated with a 23% lower probability of achieving optimal GDMT after diagnosis (hazard ratio [HR], 0.77 [95% CI, 0.71-0.83]; P<0.001). The sex disparities in GDMT use after HFrEF diagnosis were most pronounced among patients with commercial insurance (females compared with males; HR, 0.66 [95% CI, 0.58-0.76]) compared with Medicare (HR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.77-0.92]); Pinteraction sex×insurance status=0.005) and for younger patients (age <65 years: HR, 0.65 [95% CI, 0.58-0.74]) compared with older patients (age ≥65 years: HR, 87 [95% CI, 80-96]) Pinteraction sex×age=0.009). Overall use of optimal GDMT after HFrEF diagnosis was low, with significantly lower use among female (compared with male) patients. These findings highlight the need for implementation efforts directed at improving GDMT initiation and titration.

Survival by race and ethnicity among insured patients with early-onset colorectal cancer.

18 Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality have decreased in the United States over the past 3 decades, but the incidence is increasing in those &lt;50 years of age (i.e., early-onset CRC). Studies have examined racial and ethnic differences in CRC incidence in this age group, but little is known about differences in survival. Examining survival by race and ethnicity among patients with early-onset CRC may provide insights about differences in risk factors, access to care, and treatment. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included Kaiser Permanente Northern California health plan members 18-49 years of age and diagnosed with CRC between 2006-2019. Race and ethnicity were self-reported as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, or White. 5-year survival probability was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analyses. Cox regression with adjustment was used to evaluate associations between race and ethnicity and 5-year survival. Results: Of 1620 patients, median age was 45.4 years, 47% were female, 20% were Asian/Pacific Islander, 8% Black, 22% Hispanic, and 50% non-Hispanic White persons. Adjusted for age, sex, and comorbidities, Hispanic persons had a higher risk of death at 5 years compared to White persons (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09-1.83) (Table). Sequentially adding annual household income and neighborhood deprivation index had no impact on the association; adding tumor stage decreased the HR to 1.14 (0.87-1.49) and adding tumor and treatment factors decreased the HR to 1.08 (0.82-1.42). Risk of death among Asian/Pacific Islander and Black patients did not differ from White patients. Conclusions: Among insured patients with early-onset CRC, Hispanic patients had a higher risk of death at 5 years than patients of White race. The higher risk was associated with differences in tumor stage at diagnosis, tumor factors, and treatment factors. Targeted interventions to improve CRC symptom awareness and remove barriers to CRC diagnosis and treatment among vulnerable populations may be needed to eliminate disparities in early-onset CRC survival. [Table: see text]

A Proposal of a Pension Plan Design Based on Collective Pension Funds

This work proposes a design of an alternative pension plan based on collectivity with the characteristics of hybrid plans. Based on actuarial methods and financial modeling of some of the variables involved, numerical modeling of collective plans is performed to achieve this objective. Then, various scenarios were carried out to simulate a pension fund based on an institution database. At the end of each period, the replacement rate value for each plan member is calculated with a target of 30% of the last salary. As the plan works collectively, surpluses and deficits are distributed uniformly among the plan members. The results are that it is possible to achieve a replacement rate of 70% in the form of a life annuity due with 30 years of service, a contribution rate of 15% of the salary, and an investment portfolio of 60% of assets invested in equities and 40% in bonds.

Assessing the impact of a financial incentive and refill reminder program on medication adherence and costs.

Improving medication adherence remains an important goal to improve therapeutic outcomes and lower health care costs. Point-of-sale prescription costs and forgetfulness remain top reasons why patients do not adhere to medications. Programs using both text message-based reminders and financial incentives may encourage patients to refill their prescriptions on time by reducing copays through discounts at the point of sale. Sempre Health, the subject of our analysis, provides both text message refill reminders and a dynamic discount incentive program to improve medication adherence. To evaluate the impact of a financial incentive/refill reminder program on medication adherence and total cost of care for patients taking the antithrombotic agents ticagrelor, apixaban, or rivaroxaban in a large regional health plan. After propensity-score matching on demographics, socioeconomic status, baseline copay, prior pharmacy/medical spend, and morbidity, we compared-using a difference-in-differences analytic approach-adherence (measured by proportion of days covered), unplanned health care utilization, and costs (total cost of care, medical, and pharmacy cost) of health plan members who did and did not enroll in the financial incentive/refill reminder program between February 1, 2019, and October 31, 2021, over 1 and 2 years. Because of differences in patient characteristics, we analyzed patients on ticagrelor (the antiplatelet group), apixaban, and rivaroxaban (the anticoagulant group) separately. There were a total of 1,292 one-to-one program and control propensity-matched patients: 166 each for the antiplatelet group and 480 each for the anticoagulant group. The average age of the anticoagulant group was 62 years; more than 60% were male, and approximately 45% had no prior unplanned care events. In contrast, the average age of the antiplatelet group was 57 years; more than 70% were male, and approximately 21% had no prior unplanned care events. In the antiplatelet group, the proportions adherent (proportion of days covered ≥80%) were 63.3% vs 42.8% (P = 0.0002) for program vs controls. Similarly, in the anticoagulant group, the proportion adherent was 77.9% vs 60.2% (P < 0.0001) for program vs controls. Reflecting improved adherence, costs of apixaban and rivaroxaban increased by $79 per member per month (PMPM) (P < 0.0001), with no statistically significant differences in other costs. Similarly, the cost of ticagrelor increased by $77 PMPM (P = 0.0102) with no statistically significant differences in other costs. Finally, there was a 16% (P = 0.032) reduction in emergency department use for those in the program. The financial incentive and refill reminder program was associated with improved adherence to antithrombotic medications, reduced emergency department use, and increased medication costs, but not in total pharmacy, medical, or total cost of care in both subgroups.

The Percentage of Patients Experiencing Financial Strain Depends on the Screening Measure: Evidence From a Cross-Sectional Survey of Adult Members of an Integrated Healthcare Delivery System.

Financial strain has important consequences for patients, providers, and health care systems. However, there is currently no gold standard measure to screen for financial strain. This study compared the performance of 3 single-item screeners using a composite measure of financial strain as a "gold standard." We conducted a secondary analysis of unweighted data from a 2021 survey of Kaiser Permanente Northern California health plan members comparing the percentages of adults who experienced financial strain based on 3 general single-item screeners, a screener specific to medical and dental health care use, and a composite financial strain measure. The study sample was comprised of 2734 non-Medicaid insured adults who answered all financial strain questions. Kappa statistics evaluating agreement of the 3 general screeners with the composite measure were calculated for the sample overall, by age group, and within age group, by 4 levels of income and 4 racial/ethnic subgroups. Among 947 adults aged 35 to 65, 30.7% had just enough money or not enough money to make ends meet, 23.3% had a somewhat hard or hard time paying for basics, 18.8% had trouble paying for ≥1 type of expense, 20.5% had delayed/used less medical/dental care, and 41.5% had experienced financial strain based on the composite measure. Among 1787 adults aged 66 to 85, the percentages who screened positive on these measures were 22.7%, 19.4%, 12.9%, 19.8%, and 34.4%, respectively. Across the sample, by income categories and racial/ethnic groups, the making ends meet screener identified higher percentages of adults experiencing financial strain and performed better when compared with the composite measure than the hard to pay for the very basics and trouble paying for expenses screeners. Overall, substantial decreases in the percentages of adults who screened positive on the financial strain measures were seen as level of income increased. Within income categories, middle-aged adults were more likely than older adults to have experienced financial strain based on the composite and general single-item screeners. As social risk screening becomes part of the standard of care, it will be important to assess how well different brief screeners for financial strain perform with diverse patient populations.

The association of sociodemographic characteristics and comorbidities with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 in a Medicaid managed care population with and without HIV.

Understanding how post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) affects communities disproportionately affected by HIV is critically needed. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of PASC symptoms among Medicaid enrollees at risk for or living with HIV. Through a web survey, we received 138 valid responses from Medicaid-managed plan members who had received a COVID diagnosis. Participants' mean age was 45.4 years (SD = 11.9) and most were non-Hispanic Black (43.5%) or Hispanic (39.1%). Almost thirty-two percent reported inadequate incomes and 77.5% were HIV-positive. In the overall population, the frequently reported symptoms included neck/back/low back pain, brain fog/difficulty concentrating, bone/joint pain, muscle aches, and fatigue. Findings indicate that there is no statistically significant difference in the prevalence and intensity of PASC symptoms lasting 6 months or more between individuals living with and without HIV. Multiple regression analysis found that the number of PASC symptoms 6 months or longer was independently associated with inadequate incomes and comorbidities (cardiac problems, cancer, fibromyalgia) (R2 = .34). Those with inadequate incomes and comorbidities have more numerous PASC symptoms. Implications for health care delivery and long-term COVID services will be discussed.

MEDICARE ADVANTAGE (MA) PLAN CHARACTERISTICS ON PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES OF MA BENEFICIARIES

Abstract With growing demands for better and cost-effective care delivery by Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, comparison of self-reported health outcomes is more important because those outcomes capture patients’ experiences and perspectives. The purpose of the study is to examine the characteristics of MA plans on Medicare beneficiaries’ physical and mental health status. Methods: I used the Medicare Health Outcomes (HOS) survey, a random sample of Medicare beneficiaries surveyed from each MA plan with a minimum of 500 enrollees conducted by the CMS. The current study included 3 baseline cohorts from 2015 (n=195,800), 2016 (n=178,973), and 2017 (n=172,047). I used physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores as two outcomes which include various domains of physical (exercise, pain, activity limitation) and mental health (social functioning, emotional status, depression) status. Plan characteristics include plan ownership status (for-profit (FP) vs. not-for-profit (NFP), plan types (PPO vs. HMO/cost contract), and the number of plan members. I used the linear regression method with clustering at the plan contract level due to the correlation of multiple beneficiaries within the same plan. Results: Adjusted for beneficiary level characteristics, beneficiaries in PPO plans experienced greater physical and mental health scores than HMO or cost contract plans. MA plan with less than 5k beneficiaries is associated with a lower physical health score than plans with more than 100k beneficiaries. For-profit ownership was significantly associated with lower mental health scores. Discussion: The characteristics of MA plan insurers are important factors for beneficiaries’ enrollment decisions and quality improvement efforts.

Prevalence of Dementia in a Diverse Cohort of Adults with Hip Fracture

AbstractBackgroundThere is a 2.5‐fold increased risk of hip fracture for persons living with dementia compared to persons without dementia. Independently, the risk of hip fracture and Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) increase with age and vary by sex and race and ethnicity. However, few studies have examined racial and ethnic variations in dementia prevalence among older US adults who experienced a hip fracture.MethodThis retrospective observational cohort study included adult health plan members aged ≥50y in a large Northern California healthcare system during 2000‐2019 who had a hip fracture event during follow‐up to 2021. ADRD diagnosis (ICD‐9/10) was obtained from clinical encounters within 5 years prior to and including the hip fracture hospitalization. Modified log‐Poisson regression models were performed with ADRD as the outcome and race and ethnicity as the primary predictor, adjusting for age and sex. Sensitivity analyses expanded the definition of prevalence of ADRD to include ADRD diagnoses up to 3 months after hip fracture.ResultAmong 46,622 adults with hip fracture (mean age 80.6 ± 9.9y, 69.7% female, 78.8% non‐Hispanic White (NHW) race), ADRD prevalence was 21.0% based on diagnoses prior to and during hip fracture hospitalization, increasing to 24.2% when including diagnoses within 3 months post‐hip fracture. ADRD prevalence was significantly higher in Black (29.2%), Hispanic (22.5%), and Asian (22.0%) adults compared to NHW (20.3%) adults. Expanding the definition found similar observations except no significant differences for Hispanic and Asian adults (see Figure). Adjusting for age and sex, Black (RR = 1.47, 95%CI 1.35‐1.59), Hispanic (RR = 1.15, 95%CI 1.07‐1.24) and Asian adults (RR = 1.12, 95% CI 1.04‐1.21) had greater risk of prevalent ADRD compared to NHW adults. Sensitivity analysis results were similar.ConclusionAt least 1 in 5 adults with hip fracture had diagnosed ADRD, with higher prevalence among racial and ethnic minority populations. Age‐ and sex‐adjusted risk was highest in Black adults and modestly higher in Hispanic and Asian adults. Hip fractures and ADRD are serious public health concerns leading to increased morbidity and mortality, and understanding differences among high risk groups will aid in the development of socially appropriate patient and caregiver interventions.

Evaluation of Disparities in Higher-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes (HR-MDS) Patient Treatment Patterns in a Large US Health System

BACKGROUND Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogenous group of myeloid neoplasms. Patients may present with nonspecific signs and symptoms such as fatigue, infections, bleeding, and bruising. Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy are used to confirm diagnosis and are critical in the evaluation of bone marrow cell morphology and cellularity necessary for risk classification. Patients stratified as higher-risk MDS (HR-MDS) have worse overall survival and a higher risk of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Treatment of HR-MDS can be challenging. While hypomethylating agents azacitidine and decitabine are the only approved drugs for HR-MDS, there are clinical and translational studies for other treatment approaches. The only curative treatment at present is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), for which only a portion of patients may qualify. This study sought to identify potential missed opportunities in care, including time to diagnosis (Dx) and treatment, by evaluating differences based on underlying sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of newly diagnosed patients with HR-MDS. METHODS This is a retrospective cohort study of commercial and Medicare Advantage health plan members with evidence of newly diagnosed HR-MDS in the Optum Research Database (ORD). Additional Optum datasets were linked to the standard ORD to allow for the inclusion of additional socioeconomic (SES) and social determinants of health (SDoH) variables. The study period was 1 January 2016 to 31 July 2022. Adults with ≥1 inpatient claim for HR-MDS or ≥2 outpatient claims for either MDS or HR-MDS (requiring at least 1 to be HR-MDS) on 2 separate dates between 1 January 2017 and 30 April 2022 were eligible for inclusion. The earliest HR-MDS claim was the index date. A period of 12 months prior to the index date was used to assess baseline characteristics. Patients were followed for at least 3 months post-index until the earliest of AML Dx, death, end of continuous enrollment, or end of the study period. RESULTS The study criteria were met by 1710 patients. Median age at HR-MDS Dx was 77 years, and 40% of patients had baseline Charlson comorbidity score ≥3; 22% had no claim for a bone marrow biopsy or aspiration in the 12 months prior to index or during variable follow-up. Patients were categorized hierarchically based on level of treatment received: HSCT occurred in 4% of patients, 33% had evidence of active treatment, 26% received MDS supportive treatment, and 37% had no treatment in the variable follow-up period. Patients who received HSCT had the lowest Charlson score (mean 1.3), followed by those who received active treatment (mean 2.2), no treatment (mean 2.3), and MDS supportive treatment (mean 2.8). Patients who received active treatment and those who received no treatment appeared to have a similar average age (76 years), similarities in baseline comorbidities (autoimmune conditions, diabetes, and hepatic and renal diseases), and similarities in underlying SDoH and SES characteristics. Male patients made up 58% of the total study population; the prevalence by sex varied within treatment groups where male patients were 64% of the active treatment group but only 54% of the MDS supportive treatment group (Fig. 1a). HSCT patients had the least likelihood of unmet SDoH need, whereas those in MDS supportive care generally had the lowest chance of no unmet need (Fig. 1b). Few patients (7%) had claims indicative of clinical trial participation after index; clinical trial participants were healthier (mean Charlson score 1.9 vs 2.4) and younger (only 37% were aged 75+ vs 64% of non-participants in this age group). Patients not participating in clinical trials were more likely to have unmet financial or housing security and transportation access challenges. White and Asian patients had the highest rates of whole blood transfusions (5.4 and 5.7 per 100 person-months, respectively), while Hispanic patients had the lowest rate (2.5 per 100 person-months). CONCLUSION A large proportion of HR-MDS patients had no evidence of active treatment during the variable follow-up. HSCT and clinical trial participation were low in the study; these patients were younger, had fewer comorbidities, and did not experience financial, housing, or transportation issues. To ensure guideline concordant care, there is a need to further contextualize drivers of treatment in clinical practice, including patients' preferences.

Outcomes of weight-based vs. fixed dose of Pembrolizumab among patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

This study aims to assess outcomes among patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received treatment with pembrolizumab on a weight-based dose (WBD) or fixed-dose (FD) regimen using a non-inferiority (NI) analysis. This retrospective cohort study included adult patients with NSCLC weighing under 100 kg who received pembrolizumab between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2020. Patients were grouped into either WBD or FD cohort based on the initial pembrolizumab dose and dosing regimen. The primary effectiveness outcome was overall survival (OS), analyzed using NI analysis with a lower margin of 10% comparing WBD to FD. Safety outcomes were all-cause emergency room visits or hospitalizations and incidence of selected immune-related adverse events (irAEs) and analyzed using NI analysis with an upper margin of 10%. All patients were followed until the end of health plan membership, death, or 30 June 2022, whichever occurred first. A total of 1413 patients were evaluated. OS was observed in 36.6% of the FD group, and 37.7% in the WBD group (rate difference: 1%, 90% CI: -6%-8%, NI p-value < 0.01). NI was met in all three safety outcomes: proportion of all-cause emergency room visits (rate difference: 1.1%, NI p-value < 0.01); proportion of hospitalizations (rate difference: 2%, NI p-value < 0.01); and composite incidence of irAEs (rate difference: -2.2%, NI p-value = 0.03). These findings suggest that WBD of pembrolizumab may be as appropriate as FD for the treatment of lung cancer.

Health related social needs and whole person health: Relationship between unmet social needs, health outcomes, and healthcare spending among commercially insured adults

Commercially-insured adults comprise a majority of health plan members but are least likely to be surveyed about their social needs. Little is known, consequently, about health-related social needs (HRSNs) in this population.The primaryaim of this study was to assess the prevalence of HRSNs and health among commercially-insured adults and estimate their relationship with health outcomes and spending.This cross-sectional study used survey data from a representative sample of Elevance Health commercially insured members residing in Georgia and Indiana (U.S.) Adult members reported on HSRNs across nine different domains. Survey data were linked to medical claims data, and regression models were used to estimate the relationship between HRSNs and self-reported health, emergency department visits, three major health outcomes, and healthcare spending (medical and pharmaceutical).Of 1,160 commercially insured adults, 76 % indicated ≥ 1 HRSN, and 29 % reported > 3 HRSNs, (i.e., “high” HRSN).Each HRSN was associated with 2.2 (95 % CI, 1.84–2.55) additional unhealthy days per month,3.0percent(95 % CI 1.36 – 4.57)higher prevalence of anxiety/depression, 2.2percent(95 % CI 0.88 – 3.50)higher prevalence of hypertension, 3.9 more ED visits per 1,000 member-months (95 % CI, 0.29–7.42), and $1,418 higher total healthcare spending (95 % CI, $614.67-$2,220.39) over a 12-month period.The widespread prevalence of HRSNs among commercially insured adults demonstrates the importance of screening all health plan members for HRSNs—not just Medicare and Medicaid members. Commercially insured members who experience high HRSN are at significantly higher risk for worse health, even after controlling for income and demographic characteristics.

Risk factors for recurrent emergency care utilization for flares in inflammatory bowel disease.

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) need frequent emergency care due to flares of their disease. However, understanding which patients are most vulnerable to repeat emergency care due to recurrent flares of their disease remains poor. This was a retrospective cohort study of Kaiser Permanente Northern California health plan members aged ≥18 years between 2009 and 2018. Our primary outcome was occurrence of repeat emergency department (ED) visits with a primary diagnosis code of IBD in the 6 months following their index ED visit. Baseline characteristics and clinical service use patterns were extracted. We used multivariable negative binomial regression analysis to measure the incident risk of a recurrent ED visit within 6 months. We found 2111 patients who met eligibility criteria, of whom 56.7% were female and 39.7% were non-White. During the 6-month observation period, 19.3% (n = 408) returned to the ED for a second IBD flare. In adjusted analyses, we found older age (incident risk ratio [IRR] 0.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.31-0.62 for age 60+ compared to 18-30), higher neighborhood household income (IRR 0.80, 95% CI 0.65-0.98 for income ≥$85,000), and diagnosis of alcohol use disorder were associated with a lower risk of repeat ED utilization (IRR 0.62, 95% CI 0.41-0.93), while presence of mood disorder (IRR 1.26, 95% CI 1.03-1.58), history of opiate prescription (IRR 1.38, 95% CI 1.10-1.73), and corticosteroid prescription (IRR 1.57, 95% CI 1.27-1.95) were associated with increased risk of repeat ED utilization. Prompt outpatient follow-up was not associated with a lower odds of recurrent ED utilization (IRR 0.93, 95% CI 0.75-1.15). Our study identified multiple patient characteristics associated with higher recurrent short-term use of the ED for IBD care. Although we did not find prompt outpatient follow-up after initial ED visit to be protective, targeted interventions directed at high-risk individuals based on mood disorders, opiate use, or steroid use may help to optimize care and health care utilization.

Qualitative Interviews to Add Patient Perspectives in Colorectal Cancer Screening: Improvements in a Learning Health System.

Health systems are interested in increasing colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates as CRC is a leading cause of preventable cancer death. Learning health systems are ones that use data to continually improve care. Data can and should include qualitative local perspectives to improve patient and provider education and care. This study sought to understand local perspectives on CRC screening to inform future strategies to increase screening rates across our integrated health system. Health insurance plan members who were eligible for CRC screening were invited to participate in semi-structured phone interviews. Qualitative content analysis was conducted using an inductive approach. Forty member interviews were completed and analyzed. Identified barriers included ambivalence about screening options (e.g., "If it had the same performance, I'd rather do home fecal sample test. But I'm just too skeptical [so I do the colonoscopy]."), negative prior CRC screening experiences, and competing priorities. Identified facilitators included a positive general attitude towards health (e.g., "I'm a rule follower. There are certain things I'll bend rules. But certain medical things, you just got to do."), social support, a perceived risk of developing CRC, and positive prior CRC screening experiences. Study findings were used by the health system leaders to inform the selection of CRC screening outreach and education strategies to be tested in a future simulation model. For example, the identified barrier related to ambivalence about screening options led to a proposed revision of outreach materials that describe screening types more clearly.

Durable Transfusion Independence in Lower-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndrome (LR-MDS) Is Associated with Better Survival: A Population Level Analysis Based on a Large US Health Insurance Claims Database

CONCLUSIONS Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions are commonly used to treat patients with LR-MDS and anemia. RBC transfusion dependence (TD) is an impairment on patients' quality of life and associated with worsened survival (Lemos et al. Sci Rep. 2021). The few approved therapeutic options for LR-MDS have limited efficacy and durability. In this study, the baseline RBC-TD before first-line (1L) and second-line (2L) of therapy, durability of transfusion independence (TI), and associated survival among patients with LR-MDS treated with current standard-of-care therapies were assessed in a large US health insurance claims database. Optum Clinformatics ®, a large single-payer database of administrative health claims for members of large commercial and Medicare Advantage health plans, includes approximately 17-19 million annual covered lives, for a total of &amp;gt;76 million unique lives over a 9-year period. Patients with LR-MDS were identified through 5 relevant International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) diagnosis codes (D46.0, D46.1, D46.9, D46.A, and D46.B) between Oct 2015 and Jun 2022 and were required to have no MDS/acute myeloid leukemia (AML) diagnosis and no use of higher-risk MDS or AML medication before their respective index diagnosis dates. As revised International Prognostic Scoring System or other risk score classification information was not available in the database, ICD-10 diagnosis codes were used as a proxy for the identification of LR-MDS; these codes have been used previously in published studies (Zeidan et al. Leuk Lymphoma. 2019). Lines of treatment were determined based on claims for MDS treatments contained in the database: erythropoietin stimulating agents (ESAs; darbepoetin, epoetin alfa), hypomethylating agents (HMAs; azacitidine, decitabine, decitabine-cedazuridine), lenalidomide, luspatercept, eltrombopag, and cyclosporine. Outcomes of interest included transfusion burden (RBC units [U] in 8 weeks), proportion of patients who were transfusion independent before and after different lines of treatment, time to 8- and 16-week continuous TI, Kaplan-Meier analysis of real-world progression-free survival (starting a next line of treatment, progression to higher-risk MDS or AML, and death were considered events), and overall survival. The analysis included 5662 patients with LR-MDS (median age, 79 years; 57% male; 76% non-Hispanic White, primarily covered by Medicare Advantage) who received ≥1 line of treatment. Overall, 66% and 17% of patients received frontline monotherapy with ESAs and HMAs, respectively. In the 16 weeks before 1L treatment initiation, 35% of patients received ≥1 RBC transfusion. During 1L treatment, 45% of patients received ≥1 RBC transfusion, of whom 49% received &amp;gt;3 U and 24% received &amp;gt;6 U during any 8-week period. 2L treatment consisted of ESA monotherapy (40%), HMA monotherapy (21%), luspatercept (9%), or a combination thereof (19%). In the 16 weeks before 2L treatment initiation, 49% of patients received ≥1 RBC transfusion, and 55% received transfusions during 2L treatment (Table). Among patients receiving ≥1 transfusion during 2L treatment, 61% and 31% had &amp;gt;3 and &amp;gt;6 U/8 weeks, respectively. Transfusion burden was greater for patients with ring sideroblast-positive disease and increased with subsequent lines of therapy. Among 612 patients who received ≥1 transfusion in the 16-week period before 2L, 33% achieved 16-week TI with subsequent therapies. Median real-world progression-free survival from start of 2L was 20.0 months in patients who achieved 16-week TI and 4.1 months in patients who did not ( P &amp;lt; .0001). The median overall survival from start of 2L was 23.4 months overall, and 37.9 months vs 9.3 months among responders becoming RBC-TI vs nonresponders, respectively ( P &amp;lt; .0001; Figure). Among patients with LR-MDS, 35% and 49% were RBC-TD before 1L and 2L of therapy, respectively. Achievement of TI was associated with improved survival, suggesting that RBC-TD is a modifiable predictor of clinical outcomes in LR-MDS. Despite the currently available therapies, RBC-TD after any line of therapy is associated with poorer outcomes. Our study results show that novel therapies that provide durable TI are expected to yield decreased progression and improved survival.