Neighborhood characteristics and opioid use disorder among older Medicare beneficiaries: An examination of the role of the COVID-19 pandemic

This study investigates how the associations between residential characteristics and the risk of opioid user disorder (OUD) among older Medicare beneficiaries (age≥65) are altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Applying matching techniques and multilevel modeling to the Medicare fee-for-service claims data, this study finds that county-level social isolation, concentrated disadvantage, and residential stability are significantly associated with OUD among older adults (N = 1,080,350) and that those living in counties with low levels of social isolation and residential stability experienced a heightened risk of OUD during the pandemic. The results suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated the impacts of residential features on OUD.     

A systematic scoping study exploring opioid use across a variety of disability conditions

BackgroundOpioid use experiences among people with disability (PWD) as a group has not been clearly articulated in the current literature, despite links between pain and measures of disability.ObjectiveTo conduct a systematic search and scoping study examining the characteristics of current literature focused on opioid use among PWD.MethodsFour databases were queried (i.e., Medline, PsycINFO, Embase, and CINAHL) for peer-reviewed, empirical, English-language, journal articles focused on long-term opioid use among PWD. Collected data points included: disability details (specific condition, onset of disability), opioid details (category of opioid use, and specified substance), study details, and design.ResultsA total of 196 articles were included, with 83.7% published since 2000 largely from the US. The majority of articles (70.4%) focused on the use of opioids as medical treatment, with fewer articles focusing on recreational opioid use or substance use disorders. The majority of included sources (73%) focused on opioid use in acquired conditions; neuropathic pain (21.9%) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (20.4%) were the most commonly studied. Differences were observed in the distribution of disability conditions across category of opioid use and study design classification; 73.5% were considered observational in design.ConclusionsThe varied representation of disability conditions, and differences across opioid use category and study design classification point to a complicated relationship between opioid use and disability. The present research portfolio would benefit from research matching informational needs of a specific disability area or opioid use category to provide the evidence necessary to advance current knowledge and promote inclusion in national agendas.     

Perceptions of long-acting reversible contraception among women receiving medication for opioid use disorder in Vermont

ObjectivesTo evaluate perceptions of long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC) among women receiving medication for opioid use disorder.Study designCross-sectional survey of 200 women receiving medication for opioid use disorder in Vermont.ResultsA considerable proportion of women receiving medication for opioid use disorder in Vermont reported previous use of an IUD (40%) and/or a subdermal contraceptive implant (16%); the majority of prior LARC users were satisfied with their IUD (68%) or their implant (74%). Of the 38% of participants who had never considered IUD use, 85% percent (64/75) said that they knew nothing or only a little about IUDs. Of the 61% of participants who had never considered an implant, 81% percent (98/121) said that they knew nothing or only a little about the contraceptive method. The most commonly reported reasons for a lack of interest in the IUD and/or implant were concerns about side effects and preference for a woman-controlled method.ConclusionsGaps in LARC knowledge are common among those who have not used LARCs and concerns about side effects and preferences for a woman-controlled method limit some women’s interest in these contraceptives. Additionally, reasons for dissatisfaction among past users are generally similar for IUD and implant and include irregular bleeding and having a bad experience with the method.ImplicationsEfforts to increase awareness of LARC methods among women receiving medication for opioid use disorder should address concerns about side effects and reproductive autonomy and encourage satisfied LARC users to share their experiences with their social networks.     

The effect of HMOs on the inpatient utilization of medicare beneficiaries

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of joining HMOs (health maintenance organizations) on the inpatient utilization of Medicare beneficiaries. DATA SOURCES: We linked enrollment data on Medicare beneficiaries to patient discharge data from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) for 1991-1995. DESIGN AND SAMPLE: A quasi-experimental design comparing inpatient utilization before and after switching from fee-for-service (FFS) to Medicare HMOs; with comparison groups of continuous FFS and HMO beneficiaries to adjust for aging and secular trends. The sample consisted of 124,111 Medicare beneficiaries who switched from FFS to HMOs in 1992 and 1993, and random samples of 108,966 continuous FFS beneficiaries and 18,276 continuous HMO enrollees yielding 1,227,105 person-year observations over five years. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURE: Total inpatient days per thousand per year. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: When beneficiaries joined a group/staff HMO, their total days per year were 18 percent lower (95 percent confidence interval, 15-22 percent) than if the beneficiaries had remained in FFS. Total days per year were reduced less for beneficiaries joining an IPA (independent practice association) HMO (11 percent; 95 percent confidence interval, 4-19 percent). Medicare group/staff and IPA-model HMO enrollees had roughly 60 percent of the inpatient days per thousand beneficiaries in 1995 as did FFS beneficiaries (976 and 928 versus 1,679 days per thousand, respectively). In the group/staff model HMOs, our analysis suggests that managed care practices accounted for 214 days of this difference, and the remaining 489 days (70 percent) were due to favorable selection. In IPA HMOs, managed care practices appear to account for only 115 days, with 636 days (85 percent) due to selection. CONCLUSIONS: Through the mid-nineties, Medicare HMOs in California were able to reduce inpatient utilization beyond that attributable to the high level of favorable selection, but the reduction varied by type of HMO.     

The impact of medicare funding on the use of mammography among older women: implications for improving access to screening

BACKGROUND: In 1991, a policy change extended finan cial coverage for biennial mammography to holders of Medicare part B. The impact of this decision on mammography use was examined by comparing mammography use among Medicare-eligible and ineligible women in the years before (1990) and after (1993) the policy change, using National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data, controlling for socioeconomic indicators and for having a usual source of medical care. METHODS: The Medicare-eligible group consists of 2,419 women ages 65-69 years and women ages 60-64 years who are Medicare-eligible. The Medicare-ineligible group consists of 1,872 women ages 60-64 years. The analysis used logistic regressions and compared women who had undergone mammography in the prior 2 years and controlled for race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, insurance status, and usual source of care. RESULTS: Medicare reimbursement of mammography appears to have increased the number of Medicare-eligible women who had had a mammogram in the 2 years prior to the survey. However, the analyses suggested that disparities in mammography use due to access to primary care and socioeconomic status persisted after the change in Medicare coverage. Analyses indicated that having additional insurance was the only significant predictor of having a usual source of care among the Medicare population. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis suggests that simply removing financial barriers to mammography for older women (such as the 1998 elimination of a deductible payment for mammograms provided under Medicare) may have limited effectiveness. The strong relationship between having a usual source of care and mammography suggests that disparities in mammography use may reflect inequalities in access to health care in general.     

The effectiveness of covering smoking cessation services for medicare beneficiaries

Objective. To examine whether reimbursement for Provider Counseling, Pharmacotherapies, and a telephone Quitline increase smoking cessation relative to Usual Care. Study Design. Randomized comparison trial testing the effectiveness of four smoking cessation benefits. Setting. Seven states that best represented the national population in terms of the proportion of those ≥65 years of age and smoking rate. Participants. There were 7,354 seniors voluntarily enrolled in the Medicare Stop Smoking Program and they were followed‐up for 12 months. Intervention(s). (1) Usual Care, (2) reimbursement for Provider Counseling, (3) reimbursement for Provider Counseling with Pharmacotherapy, and (4) telephone counseling Quitline with nicotine patch. Main Outcome Measure. Seven‐day self‐reported cessation at 6‐ and 12‐month follow‐ups. Principal Findings. Unadjusted quit rates assuming missing data=smoking were 10.2 percent (9.0–11.5), 14.1 percent (11.7–16.5), 15.8 percent (14.4–17.2), and 19.3 percent (17.4–21.2) at 12 months for the Usual Care, Provider Counseling, Provider Counseling + Pharmacotherapy, and Quitline arms, respectively. Results were robust to sociodemographics, smoking history, motivation, health status, and survey nonresponse. The additional cost per quitter (relative to Usual Care) ranged from several hundred dollars to $6,450. Conclusions. A telephone Quitline in conjunction with low‐cost Pharmacotherapy was the most effective means of reducing smoking in the elderly.     

Prenatal intent and postpartum receipt of long-acting reversible contraception among women receiving medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder

Background

Many women with opioid use disorder (OUD) do not use highly effective postpartum contraception such as long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). We evaluated factors associated with prenatal intent and postpartum receipt of LARC among women receiving medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for OUD.

阿片类药物替代治疗服务模式的综述

面对全球普遍存在的阿片类物质滥用带来的危害，有效的应对措施是阿片类药物替代治疗（OST），不同的OST服务模式可能会影响治疗效果。患者安全系统工程（SEIPS）模型可以从工作系统的角度来分析影响患者结局的因素。本文通过使用SEIPS模型描述现有的OST服务模式，根据我国美沙酮维持治疗运转机制及借鉴国外现有的治疗模式提出我国开展OST服务的一些建议。     

宁波市HIV感染者抗病毒治疗医疗保险药物使用情况及相关因素分析

目的 分析宁波市HIV感染者抗病毒治疗（ART）医疗保险（医保）药物使用情况及影响因素。方法 资料来源于中国疾病预防控制信息系统截至2023年2月宁波市所有在治HIV感染者与ART相关历史数据。采用logistic回归模型分析HIV感染者ART医保药物使用的相关因素。使用R 4.2.2软件进行统计学分析。结果 共收集有ART记录的HIV感染者6 433例，其中在治HIV感染者5 783例。在治HIV感染者中，医保药物使用比例为24.8%（1 435/5 783，95%CI：23.7%~25.9%）。ART医保药物使用比例最低的两个区（县）为北仑区（8.7%，43/497）和奉化区（5.7%，14/247）。在治HIV感染者中，ART医保或自费药物组最近1年病毒载量检测≥1次的比例（84.9%，1 352/1 593）显著低于免费药物组（91.4%，3 829/4 190）（χ²=52.50，P<0.001）。多因素分析结果显示，ART医保药物使用的相关因素包括文化程度低（初中及以下：aOR=0.24，95%CI：0.17~0.34），农民或工人（农民：aOR=0.60，95%CI：0.39~0.91；工人：aOR=0.42，95%CI：0.27~0.64），月均收入较低（<3 000元：aOR=0.29，95%CI：0.18~0.45），确诊与ART间隔时间较长（≥21 d：aOR=0.47，95%CI：0.30~0.74）。结论 宁波市HIV感染者ART医保药物使用比例的地区差异较明显，应尽快完善HIV感染者随访管理方案，提高HIV感染者随访依从性，调动各区（县）推广ART医保药物积极性。加强对文化程度较低者和延迟治疗者的ART医保药物的科普宣传。     

The effect of cancer diagnosis on switching health insurance in medicare

Because health insurance is intended to protect patients in the event of a health shock, it is important to evaluate health insurance policy in the context of patients who experience health shocks. I measure the effect of cancer diagnosis on health insurance switching in order to compare cancer patient's preferences among private and publicly administered Medicare. I estimate that a cancer diagnosis increases the probability a patient will leave a private Medicare plan, for the public plan, by 0.8% points (41%). Similarly, a cancer diagnosis decreases the probability a patient will leave the public Medicare plan, for a private plan, by 0.5% points (16%). The implication is that private Medicare plans are relatively less attractive to cancer patients than they are to noncancer patients.     

核心竞争力--医院持续竞争优势的源泉

医院获得长期竞争优势是由医院拥有的核心竞争力决定的。文章在对医院核心竞争力概念及内涵进行界定的基础上 ,研究了理解医院核心竞争力的逻辑层次 ,分析了目前对医院核心竞争力认识上的偏差 ,提出了核心竞争力的培养原则和培养条件     

Influence of primary care on breast cancer outcomes among medicare beneficiaries

PURPOSE We used the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database to explore the association between primary care and breast cancer outcomes. METHODS Using a retrospective cohort study of 105,105 female Medicare beneficiaries with a diagnosis of breast cancer in SEER registries during the years 1994-2005, we examined the total number of office visits to primary care physicians and non-primary care physicians in a 24-month period before cancer diagnosis. For women with invasive cancers, we examined the odds of diagnosis of late-stage disease, according to the American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC) (stages III and IV vs stages I and II), and survival (breast cancer specific and all cause) using logistic regression and proportional hazards models, respectively. We also explored whether including noninvasive cancers, such as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), would alter results and whether prior mammography was a potential mediator of associations. RESULTS Primary care physician visits were associated with improved breast cancer outcomes, including greater use of mammography, reduced odds of late-stage diagnosis, and lower breast cancer and overall mortality. Prior mammography (and resultant earlier stage diagnosis) mediated these associations in part, but not completely. Similar results were seen for non-primary care physician visits. Results were similar when women with DCIS were included in the analysis. CONCLUSIONS Medicare beneficiaries with breast cancer had better outcomes if they made greater use of a primary care physician's ambulatory services. These findings suggest adequate primary medical care may be an important factor in achieving optimal breast cancer outcomes.     

探索医保支付方式实现“医保患”三方共赢的改革

探索医保支付方式改革问题,结合安徽省某医院的实践,分析医保支付方式的改革方向及对医院管理的影响,并分析了医疗机构的应对措施,提出实行医保集约化、精细化管理,可实现＂医保患＂三方共赢。     

The role of social work in the opioid epidemic: office-based opioid treatment programs

The opioid epidemic is a national emergency in the United States. To meet the needs of individuals diagnosed with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) office-based opioid treatment programs (OBOT) are quickly expanding. However, social workers roles in OBOT programs are not clearly described. This paper will emphasize three roles social workers may fulfill in OBOT programs to combat the opioid crisis.     

HMO mergers and medicare: the antitrust issues

This paper presents a theoretical framework to predict the effects that may arise from mergers in the rapidly-growing Medicare HMO market. We argue that mergers of large Medicare HMOs should be targeted for antitrust investigation because there are significant barriers into this market. The recent merger of PacifiCare and FHP is used to illustrate the potential antitrust issues raised by Medicare HMO mergers. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Medicaid enrollment among elderly medicare beneficiaries: individual determinants,effects of state policy,and impact on service use

OBJECTIVE: To better understand factors associated with Medicaid enrollment among low-income, community-dwelling elderly persons and to examine the effect of Medicaid enrollment on the use of health care services by elderly persons, taking into account selection in program participation. DATA SOURCES: 1996 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) Access to Care and Cost and Use files. METHODS: Individual-level predictions of the probability of dual enrollment are obtained from equations that estimate jointly the residential status of Medicare beneficiaries (community versus institution) and the probability of Medicaid enrollment among community-dwelling eligible beneficiaries. Predicted values are then substituted into the service use equations, which are estimated via two-part models. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Less than half of all community-dwelling elderly persons with incomes at or below 100 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) were enrolled in Medicaid in 1996. Once selective enrollment was accounted for, there was limited evidence of a dual enrollment effect on service use. Although there were no effects of state Medicaid policy variables on the probability that beneficiaries lived in the community (as opposed to nursing homes), the effects of state's Medicaid generosity in home and community-based services had a sizeable and statistically significant effect on influencing the likelihood that eligible elderly persons enrolled in Medicaid. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide compelling evidence that Medicaid participation can be influenced by state policy. The observation that "policy matters" provides new insights into how existing programs might reach a larger proportion of potentially eligible beneficiaries.     

Reforming medicare: The limited framework of political discourse on equity and economy

Medicare, the major program that organizes the delivery and financing of health care for the elderly in the United States, is being rapidly and significantly changed in order to bring Federal expenditures for health care under control. Questions of 'equity', 'justice' and 'access to health care' (that have long been associated with liberal ideology) have lost discursive currency within the realm of acceptable political debate that now focuses on 'economy' and the restoration of 'competitive market forces' to the health care industry (a point of view associated with conservative ideology). Pluralistic analyses of American health care policy most often focus on the differences between liberals and conservatives and could only explain the current bipartisan effort to reorganize Medicare as a defeat for liberals and as a vindication for the conservative perspective during a period of economic crisis. This essay develops the alternative point of view that American political debate on health care, among and between liberals and conservatives, has always taken place within a space bracketed by well defined limits established by widespread support for the market model of health care. The strength and dominance of this model that organizes and supports the private production of health care for profit is far more important in explaining the continuity in American health care policy over time and the recent policy adjustments than any examination of ideological differences between political conservatives and liberals. After analyzing the limited framework of debate structured by the market model of health care, this paper critically examines the recent changes in Medicare and challenges the market model on empirical grounds. Finally, the author returns to a discussion of the implications of these changes for equity and justice.