Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Research Roundup: Deaths In Teaching Hospitals; Medicaid and Opioids
JAMA: Association Between Teaching Status And Mortality In US Hospitals
[Researchers used] national Medicare data to compare mortality rates in US teaching and nonteaching hospitals for all hospitalizations and for common medical and surgical conditions among Medicare beneficiaries 65 years and older. ... The sample consisted of 21 451 824 total hospitalizations at 4483 hospitals, of which 250 (5.6%) were major teaching, 894 (19.9%) were minor teaching, and 3339 (74.3%) were nonteaching hospitals. Unadjusted 30-day mortality was 8.1% at major teaching hospitals, 9.2% at minor teaching hospitals, and 9.6% at nonteaching hospitals .... After adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics, the same pattern persisted. (Burke et al., 5/23)
Urban Institute: Premium Tax Credits Tied To Age Versus Income And Available Premiums: Differences By Age, Income, And Geography
This paper compares tax credits offered through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) with those in the American Health Care Act (AHCA). They examined the premium levels in 10 cities, five of which have relatively low premiums and five of which have relatively high premiums. The authors find that younger people typically receive larger insurance premium tax credits under the AHCA, while older adults typically receive larger premium tax credits under the ACA. The analysis also shows that lower-income older adults currently receive higher tax credits under the ACA than they would under the AHCA regardless of where they live. (Holahan, Blumberg and Wengle, 5/17)
Urban Institute: Medicaid Coverage Of Effective Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder
Increased receipt of buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) under Medicaid could improve outcomes for those with OUD in Medicaid expansion states residents for relapse, retention in OUD treatment, involvement in the justice system, health, and mortality. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), many low-income adults with OUD in the 32 states (including DC) that expanded Medicaid gained access to buprenorphine, which is covered in all state Medicaid programs. In contrast, many low-income uninsured adults with OUD in nonexpansion states still lack access to affordable treatment. (Clemans-Cope et. al, 5/22)
Kaiser Family Foundation: Medicaid’s Role In Providing Access To Preventive Care For Adults
This Data Note focuses on Medicaid’s role in providing access to preventive care for low-income adults. Why is preventive care for adult Medicaid enrollees important? Adults in Medicaid have high rates of preventable and controllable conditions. Nearly one-third (30%) of non-elderly adult Medicaid beneficiaries report that they are in only fair or poor health – roughly double the percentage of low-income privately insured and uninsured adults who report fair or poor health. (Ku, Paradise and Thompson, 5/17)
