Investigator-Initiated Research Grant Winners Announced

Washington, DC – November 15, 2013 - The National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation has awarded new grants totaling nearly $230,000 to support four investigator-initiated research projects.

The winning studies were selected from among more than 100 submissions based on strength of design, efficiency of budget and potential to inform future policymaking:

• Identifying Winners and Losers Under Proposals to Simplify Drug Plan Choice in Medicare Part D

This study will use comprehensive Medicare data and tools developed over several years of work with CMS to design and validate an analytical model of Medicare Part D plan selection. The model will then be used to estimate the impact of various proposals to reduce inefficient enrollment choices.

• Variations in Patient Experience with Tiered Physician Networks

This study will use data from the Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission to investigate whether patient choice of physician under tiered networks varies according to demographic characteristics, health status, physician specialty or type of care being sought.

• Assessing the Impact of Integrated Care Management on Health Services Use and Costs in Medicaid

This study will use data from Virginia’s largest Medicaid managed care plan to evaluate the effects of integrated case management on health service use, cost and racial disparities. It will examine various subgroups of enrollees and differential impacts according to the type of case management used.

• The Impact of Payment Reform on Physician Referrals, Patient Flows and Health Care Costs

This study will use data from the Massachusetts All Payer Claims Database to describe referral patterns across the state and to evaluate the impact of global payments on referrals and spending.

About NIHCM

NIHCM Foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to improving the effectiveness, efficiency and quality of the U.S. health care system. The Foundation conducts research and educational activities and fosters dialogue between public and private sector stakeholders on a range of health care issues.