Publications
1.
Zhang, Yongkang; Flory, James H.; Bao, Yuhua
Chronic Medication Nonadherence and Potentially Preventable Healthcare Utilization and Spending Among Medicare Patients Journal Article
In: Journal of General Internal Medicine, vol. 37, iss. 14, pp. 3645-3652, 2022.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: healthcare utilization, Medicare
@article{nokey,
title = {Chronic Medication Nonadherence and Potentially Preventable Healthcare Utilization and Spending Among Medicare Patients},
author = {Yongkang Zhang and James H. Flory and Yuhua Bao},
doi = {10.1007/s11606-021-07334-y},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-01-11},
journal = {Journal of General Internal Medicine},
volume = {37},
issue = {14},
pages = {3645-3652},
abstract = {Background: The association between nonadherence to chronic medications and potentially preventable healthcare utilization and spending is largely unknown.
Objectives: To examine the associations of chronic medication nonadherence with potentially preventable utilization and spending among patients who were prescribed diabetic medications, renin-angiotensin system antagonists (RASA) for hypertension, or statins for high cholesterol, and compare the associations by patient race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
Design: Retrospective cohort study. Medicare fee-for-service claims data from 2013 to 2016 for 177,881 patients.
Measures: Medication nonadherence was defined as having a below 80% proportion of days covered in each 6-month interval after the index prescription. Potentially preventable utilization was measured by preventable emergency department visits and preventable hospitalizations. Potentially preventable spending was calculated as the geographically adjusted spending associated with preventable encounters.
Results: After adjustment for other patient characteristics, medication nonadherence was associated with a 1.7-percentage-point increase (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4 to 2.0 percentage points, p < 0.001) in the probability of preventable utilization among the diabetic medication cohort, a 1.7-percentage-point increase (95% CI: 1.5 to 1.9 percentage points, p < 0.001) among the RASA cohort, and a 1.0-percentage-point increase (95% CI: 0.8 to 1.1 percentage points, p < 0.001) among the statin cohort. Among patients with at least one preventable encounter, medication nonadherence was associated with $679-$898 increased preventable spending. The incremental probability of preventable utilization and incremental spending associated with nonadherence were higher among racial/ethnic minority and low socioeconomic groups.
Conclusions: Improving medication adherence is a potential avenue to reducing preventable utilization and spending. Interventions are needed to address racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities.},
keywords = {healthcare utilization, Medicare},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Background: The association between nonadherence to chronic medications and potentially preventable healthcare utilization and spending is largely unknown.
Objectives: To examine the associations of chronic medication nonadherence with potentially preventable utilization and spending among patients who were prescribed diabetic medications, renin-angiotensin system antagonists (RASA) for hypertension, or statins for high cholesterol, and compare the associations by patient race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
Design: Retrospective cohort study. Medicare fee-for-service claims data from 2013 to 2016 for 177,881 patients.
Measures: Medication nonadherence was defined as having a below 80% proportion of days covered in each 6-month interval after the index prescription. Potentially preventable utilization was measured by preventable emergency department visits and preventable hospitalizations. Potentially preventable spending was calculated as the geographically adjusted spending associated with preventable encounters.
Results: After adjustment for other patient characteristics, medication nonadherence was associated with a 1.7-percentage-point increase (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4 to 2.0 percentage points, p < 0.001) in the probability of preventable utilization among the diabetic medication cohort, a 1.7-percentage-point increase (95% CI: 1.5 to 1.9 percentage points, p < 0.001) among the RASA cohort, and a 1.0-percentage-point increase (95% CI: 0.8 to 1.1 percentage points, p < 0.001) among the statin cohort. Among patients with at least one preventable encounter, medication nonadherence was associated with $679-$898 increased preventable spending. The incremental probability of preventable utilization and incremental spending associated with nonadherence were higher among racial/ethnic minority and low socioeconomic groups.
Conclusions: Improving medication adherence is a potential avenue to reducing preventable utilization and spending. Interventions are needed to address racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities.
Objectives: To examine the associations of chronic medication nonadherence with potentially preventable utilization and spending among patients who were prescribed diabetic medications, renin-angiotensin system antagonists (RASA) for hypertension, or statins for high cholesterol, and compare the associations by patient race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
Design: Retrospective cohort study. Medicare fee-for-service claims data from 2013 to 2016 for 177,881 patients.
Measures: Medication nonadherence was defined as having a below 80% proportion of days covered in each 6-month interval after the index prescription. Potentially preventable utilization was measured by preventable emergency department visits and preventable hospitalizations. Potentially preventable spending was calculated as the geographically adjusted spending associated with preventable encounters.
Results: After adjustment for other patient characteristics, medication nonadherence was associated with a 1.7-percentage-point increase (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.4 to 2.0 percentage points, p < 0.001) in the probability of preventable utilization among the diabetic medication cohort, a 1.7-percentage-point increase (95% CI: 1.5 to 1.9 percentage points, p < 0.001) among the RASA cohort, and a 1.0-percentage-point increase (95% CI: 0.8 to 1.1 percentage points, p < 0.001) among the statin cohort. Among patients with at least one preventable encounter, medication nonadherence was associated with $679-$898 increased preventable spending. The incremental probability of preventable utilization and incremental spending associated with nonadherence were higher among racial/ethnic minority and low socioeconomic groups.
Conclusions: Improving medication adherence is a potential avenue to reducing preventable utilization and spending. Interventions are needed to address racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities.
2.
Flory, James H.; Li, Jing; Dawwas, Ghadeer K.; Leonard, Charles E.
Compared to commercially insured patients, Medicare advantage patients adopt newer diabetes drugs more slowly and adhere to them less Journal Article
In: Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism, vol. 4, iss. 3, pp. e00245, 2021.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: diabetes mellitus, Medicare
@article{nokey,
title = {Compared to commercially insured patients, Medicare advantage patients adopt newer diabetes drugs more slowly and adhere to them less},
author = {James H. Flory and Jing Li and Ghadeer K. Dawwas and Charles E. Leonard },
doi = {10.1002/edm2.245},
year = {2021},
date = {2021-04-02},
journal = {Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism},
volume = {4},
issue = {3},
pages = {e00245},
abstract = {Aims: To compare rates of use and adherence for newer versus older second-line diabetes drug classes in commercially insured, Medicare Advantage and dual-eligible (covered by both Medicare and Medicaid) patients.
Materials and methods: Longitudinal cohort study using insurance claims data from 1/1/2012 to 12/31/2016 to identify patients with a first prescription, after metformin, of a second-line diabetes drug (eg sulphonylurea, DPP-4 inhibitor, thiazolidinedione, SGLT-2 inhibitor or GLP-1 receptor agonist) and to estimate their adherence to that drug class. Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression were used to examine the association between insurance type and use of each drug class, and between insurance type and adherence to each drug class.
Results: The study population included 96,663 patients. Trends in drug use differed by insurance type. For example, sulphonylurea use declined among the commercially insured (from 46% to 39%, p < .001) but not among Medicare Advantage or dual-eligible patients. Patterns of adherence also differed between insurance groups. For example, compared to commercial insurance, Medicare Advantage was associated with higher adherence to sulphonylurea (odds ratio [OR] 1.32, 95% CI 1.21-1.43)) but lower adherence to SGLT-2 inhibitors (OR 0.43 (95% CI 0.33-0.56)).
Conclusions: This study finds differences in utilization and adherence for diabetes drugs across insurance types. Older medications such as sulphonylureas appear to be more used and better adhered to among Medicare Advantage recipients, while the opposite is true for newer medication classes. These findings suggest a need to personalize selection of diabetes drugs according to insurance status, particularly when adherence needs optimization.},
keywords = {diabetes mellitus, Medicare},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Aims: To compare rates of use and adherence for newer versus older second-line diabetes drug classes in commercially insured, Medicare Advantage and dual-eligible (covered by both Medicare and Medicaid) patients.
Materials and methods: Longitudinal cohort study using insurance claims data from 1/1/2012 to 12/31/2016 to identify patients with a first prescription, after metformin, of a second-line diabetes drug (eg sulphonylurea, DPP-4 inhibitor, thiazolidinedione, SGLT-2 inhibitor or GLP-1 receptor agonist) and to estimate their adherence to that drug class. Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression were used to examine the association between insurance type and use of each drug class, and between insurance type and adherence to each drug class.
Results: The study population included 96,663 patients. Trends in drug use differed by insurance type. For example, sulphonylurea use declined among the commercially insured (from 46% to 39%, p < .001) but not among Medicare Advantage or dual-eligible patients. Patterns of adherence also differed between insurance groups. For example, compared to commercial insurance, Medicare Advantage was associated with higher adherence to sulphonylurea (odds ratio [OR] 1.32, 95% CI 1.21-1.43)) but lower adherence to SGLT-2 inhibitors (OR 0.43 (95% CI 0.33-0.56)).
Conclusions: This study finds differences in utilization and adherence for diabetes drugs across insurance types. Older medications such as sulphonylureas appear to be more used and better adhered to among Medicare Advantage recipients, while the opposite is true for newer medication classes. These findings suggest a need to personalize selection of diabetes drugs according to insurance status, particularly when adherence needs optimization.
Materials and methods: Longitudinal cohort study using insurance claims data from 1/1/2012 to 12/31/2016 to identify patients with a first prescription, after metformin, of a second-line diabetes drug (eg sulphonylurea, DPP-4 inhibitor, thiazolidinedione, SGLT-2 inhibitor or GLP-1 receptor agonist) and to estimate their adherence to that drug class. Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression were used to examine the association between insurance type and use of each drug class, and between insurance type and adherence to each drug class.
Results: The study population included 96,663 patients. Trends in drug use differed by insurance type. For example, sulphonylurea use declined among the commercially insured (from 46% to 39%, p < .001) but not among Medicare Advantage or dual-eligible patients. Patterns of adherence also differed between insurance groups. For example, compared to commercial insurance, Medicare Advantage was associated with higher adherence to sulphonylurea (odds ratio [OR] 1.32, 95% CI 1.21-1.43)) but lower adherence to SGLT-2 inhibitors (OR 0.43 (95% CI 0.33-0.56)).
Conclusions: This study finds differences in utilization and adherence for diabetes drugs across insurance types. Older medications such as sulphonylureas appear to be more used and better adhered to among Medicare Advantage recipients, while the opposite is true for newer medication classes. These findings suggest a need to personalize selection of diabetes drugs according to insurance status, particularly when adherence needs optimization.