Investigator-Initiated Research Grant Winners Announced

Washington, DC – December 27, 2012 - The National Institute for Health Care Management (NIHCM) Foundation has awarded $125,000 in grants as part of a new program to support investigator-initiated health care research. Two studies were selected for funding based on strength of design and potential to inform future policymaking:

• Hospital Acquisition of Physician Practices and Health Care Delivery and Costs
  This study will use five years of unique data on physician practice ownership combined with Medicare and private-sector claims data to examine how care patterns, quality of care and spending for services are related to hospital ownership of physician practices.

  Researchers:		Laurence Baker, Stanford University
  		Kate Bundorf, Stanford University
  		Anne Royalty, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

• Evaluating Coverage, Utilization, and Access to Care in Medicaid ‘Early-Expander’ States Under the Affordable Care Act
  This study will use interviews with Medicaid officials and analysis of secondary data to examine the process and impact of early expansions in Medicaid eligibility. It will work to draw out implementation lessons and to understand how expansions affect insurance coverage rates, Medicaid churning and access to care.

  Researchers:		Benjamin Sommers, Harvard School of Public Health
  		Arnold Epstein, Harvard School of Public Health
  		Genevieve Kenney, Urban Institute

“We were impressed by the volume of worthy proposals we received in this first year of our research grant program,” said Nancy Chockely, President and CEO of NIHCM Foundation. “Given the need for new research funding sources and the abundance of important questions facing the health care system, we are working on plans to expand the program in 2013.”

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 stakeholders on a range of health care issues.