As purchasers of health care seek ways to reduce costs while improving health outcomes, value-based insurance design (VBID) may be an effective strategy. Studies recently funded under the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Changes in Health Care Financing and Organization (HCFO) program are assessing the potential for VBID’s success and will help inform health reform implementation.

The potential for evidence-based research about the effectiveness of health care interventions to improve quality and control costs depends not only on the strength of the research but also on the development of effective strategies to integrate evidence into decisions about how people use health care. AcademyHealth released the issue brief “Using Evidence to Design Benefits” by Jill Bernstein, Ph.D., that draws on some of the leading-edge initiatives in the public and private sectors as well as on emerging insights drawn from recent work, including behavioral economics research, ongoing technology assessment programs, and experience with innovative benefit designs adopted by large group insurance carriers.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality released a report on rehospitalizations.

Cindy Parks Thomas, Ph.D., is the principal investigator for a HCFO study examining the impact of state policies supporting Medicare Part D for the dually eligible. She was previously the PI on a HCFO study that compared two state models to examine the impact of the design of state pharmacy assistance programs on low-income seniors.

Mireille Jacobson, Ph.D., and colleagues published the article, "How Medicare's Payment Cuts for Cancer Chemotherapy Drugs Changed Patterns of Treatment," in the June 17, 2010 Health Affairs Web Exclusive.

Molly Cannon and Mary Davis, Dr.P.H., published the North Carolina Institute for Public Health – Evaluation Services brief, "Accreditation Outcomes: Getting to the Right Indicators," on June 14, 2010. 

Ateev Mehrotra, M.D., and colleagues published “The Effect of Different Attribution Rules on Individual Physician Cost Profiles,” May 18, 2010, in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Anthony Tucker, Ph.D., and Karen Johnson published The Hilltop Institute brief, “Cross-Payer Effects on Medicare Resource Use: Lessons for Medicaid Administrators,” on May 15, 2010.

Grantees in the News

Findings from a HCFO-sponsored study led by Joseph P. Newhouse, Ph.D., were highlighed in the June 17, 2010, New York Times article "Doctors Recouped Cuts in Medicare Pay, Study Finds."   

Findings from a HCFO-sponsored study led by J. William Thomas, Ph.D., were highlighted in the May 18, 2010, ScienceDaily article “Results of Physician Cost Profiling Can Vary Widely, Study Finds.”

Findings from a study led by Jack Hadley, Ph.D., were highlighted in the May 13, 2010, Reuters article “Don’t Like Your Diagnosis? Maybe You Should Move.”

Findings from a study led by Judith H. Hibbard, Dr.P.H., were highlighted in the May 11, 2010, Cleveland.com article “Reporting Surgical Fires Could Improve Patient Safety in Ohio, Experts Say.”

Presentations and Testimony

Stephen Zuckerman, Ph.D., spoke at the May 21, 2010, National Health Policy Forum session “Geographic Variation in Health Care Spending: What Do We Know, and Why Does It Matter?”

Jessie Gruman, Ph.D., and Judith Hibbard, Dr.P.H., spoke at the May 20, 2010, Center for Advancing Health briefing “What Actions Do Americans Currently Take to Find and Make Good Use of Their Health Care?”

Awards and Appointments

Judith H. Hibbard, Dr.P.H., was appointed to the Center for Advancing Health’s Fellows program.

RWJF Releases

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released the content alert, “How Do Cuts in Medicare Reimbursement Affect Care?” on June 17. It highlights findings from an HCFO-sponsored study led by Joseph P. Newhouse, Ph.D. 

HCFO-funded projects provide some of the best and most current research conducted by leaders in health services research and health policy. Several sessions to be held at AcademyHealth’s 2010 Annual Research Meeting, June 27-29 in Boston highlight findings from HCFO projects. For a full list of presentations, see the ARM agenda.