Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Medicare Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries.

INTRODUCTION: Influenza vaccination is the best prevention strategy to protect against influenza infection. Determining accurate influenza vaccination coverage is critical. This study assesses the concordance between self-reported and claimed-based influenza vaccination coverage and examines vaccination disparities in the U.S. METHODS: Data from the 2016-2019 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey linked to survey participants' influenza vaccination claims were analyzed in 2022. The study population included survey participants aged ≥65 years and enrolled in a Medicare fee-for-service plan. Sensitivity, specificity, kappa statistics, and net bias (the difference between the estimated vaccination coverage based on survey and claims data) were reported. Associations between receipt of influenza vaccine and beneficiaries' characteristics and sex, racial and ethnic, and urban‒rural disparities in influenza vaccination were examined using logistic regressions. RESULTS: The analysis included 20,854 beneficiaries. Claimed-based vaccination coverage was 60.0%, and survey-based coverage was 76.3%. The net bias was 16.3 percentage points, and kappa statistic indicated moderate data agreement. The sensitivity of self-reported influenza vaccination was 98.7%, and the specificity was 57.4%. Net bias was high among male, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic beneficiaries, and rural residents. Sex, racial and ethnic, and urban‒rural disparities in influenza vaccination were noticeably smaller according to the survey than claims data. CONCLUSIONS: The level of data agreement differed by beneficiaries' characteristics and was low among males, racial and ethnic minority groups, and rural residents.

Vaccination Coverage of Privately Insured Children: Comparing U.S. Survey and Administrative Data.

INTRODUCTION: National Immunization Survey-Child data are used widely to assess childhood vaccination coverage in the U.S. This study compares National Immunization Survey-Child coverage estimates with estimates using other supplementary data sources. METHODS: Retrospective analyses in 2021 assessed vaccination coverage of privately insured children for vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices by age 2 years, using the 2015-2018 MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters databases and the 2018-2019 Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set. The coverage estimates were compared statistically with those using the 2016-2018 National Immunization Survey-Child. RESULTS: Estimated coverage ranged from 69.9% (≥2 doses of influenza vaccine) to 95.0% (≥3 doses of diphtheria, tetanus toxoids, and acellular pertussis vaccine) using the MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters data and from 68.0% (≥2 doses of influenza vaccine) to 92.2% (≥1 dose of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine) using the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set. The difference between the MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters and National Immunization Survey-Child estimates ranged from 0.1 to 4.3 percentage points and was statistically significant for 6 of the 13 assessed vaccines/doses and percentage of children receiving no vaccinations. The difference between the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set and National Immunization Survey-Child estimates ranged from 0.4 to 7.2 percentage points and was statistically significant for 6 of the 10 assessed vaccines/doses. CONCLUSIONS: For certain vaccines and populations of interest, the National Immunization Survey-Child, MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters, and Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set data might give comparable coverage of privately insured children.

Influenza Vaccine Uptake and Missed Opportunities Among the Medicare-Covered Population With High-Risk Conditions During the 2018 to 2019 Influenza Season : A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Seasonal influenza causes substantial morbidity and mortality among older U.S. adults and those with comorbid health conditions. OBJECTIVE: To describe seasonal influenza vaccine uptake and identify factors associated with missed opportunities for influenza vaccination. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Medicare fee-for-service claims. PARTICIPANTS: 31.6 million U.S. adults continuously enrolled under Medicare Parts A and B during the 2018 to 2019 influenza season. MEASUREMENTS: Influenza vaccine uptake and missed opportunities by patient demographic characteristics, high-risk status (that is, ≥1 condition increasing influenza complication risk), Medicare-Medicaid dual-eligibility status, and health care provider visits (that is, vaccination opportunities). RESULTS: Overall, 50.5% of beneficiaries aged 19 years or older had Medicare claims for influenza vaccination: 31.6% among people aged 19 to 64 years and 54% among people aged 65 years or older. More White beneficiaries were vaccinated (52.9%) than Black (34.9%) or Hispanic (30.4%) beneficiaries. Uptake was higher (56.1%) for beneficiaries with high-risk conditions than for those without (27.6%). Among unvaccinated beneficiaries overall, 77.4% visited a provider during influenza season; among unvaccinated beneficiaries with and without high-risk conditions, 91% and 43%, respectively, had seen a provider at least once. The proportion of beneficiaries with missed opportunities for influenza vaccination was 44.2% and was higher for beneficiaries in the non-high-risk group (59.1%) than those in the high-risk group (42.2%). Uptake was lower and proportions of missed opportunities were higher among beneficiaries in younger age groups, of Black and Hispanic race/ethnicity, without high-risk conditions, or with Medicare-Medicaid dual eligibility. LIMITATIONS: Influenza vaccinations without claims could not be captured. Data on reasons for nonvaccination were unavailable. CONCLUSION: Influenza vaccination coverage for Medicare beneficiaries continues to be suboptimal, with missed opportunities despite availability of influenza vaccination with no copayment. Disparities persist in vaccination uptake by race/ethnicity. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: None.

Insurance reimbursements for recombinant zoster vaccine in the private sector.

A two-dose series of the recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV, Shingrix) was licensed by the Food and Drug Administration in 2017 and recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in 2018 for adults in the United States age 50 years and older. Despite the health benefits of shingles vaccination, coverage has remained low, with financial barriers among healthcare providers identified as one potential factor. This study estimates the reimbursement levels for RZV among a large sample of privately insured individuals in the US from the 2018 IBM® MarketScan® Commercial Claims and Encounters database. Of 198,534 claims for an RZV dose, the mean reimbursement was $149. Most claims (83%) exceeded $140, which was the private sector vaccine price reported on the CDC vaccine price list in April 2018. These results can be useful for providers considering procuring RZV and for state immunization programs considering ways to improve vaccination coverage.

Patient Characteristics and Costs Associated With COVID-19-Related Medical Care Among Medicare Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries.

BACKGROUND: New cases of COVID-19 continue to occur daily in the United States, and the need for medical treatments continues to grow. Knowledge of the direct medical costs of COVID-19 treatments is limited. OBJECTIVE: To examine the characteristics of older adults with COVID-19 and their costs for COVID-19-related medical care. DESIGN: Retrospective observational study. SETTING: Medical claims for Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries. PATIENTS: Medicare FFS beneficiaries aged 65 years or older who had a COVID-19-related medical encounter during April through December 2020. MEASUREMENTS: Patient characteristics and direct medical costs of COVID-19-related hospitalizations and outpatient visits. RESULTS: Among 28.1 million Medicare FFS beneficiaries, 1 181 127 (4.2%) sought COVID-19-related medical care. Among these patients, 23.0% had an inpatient stay and 4.2% died during hospitalization. The majority of the patients were female (57.0%), non-Hispanic White (79.6%), and residents of an urban county (77.2%). Medicare FFS costs for COVID-19-related medical care were $6.3 billion; 92.6% of costs were for hospitalizations. The mean hospitalization cost was $21 752, and the mean length of stay was 9.2 days; hospitalization cost and length of stay were higher if the patient needed a ventilator ($49 441 and 17.1 days) or died ($32 015 and 11.3 days). The mean cost per outpatient visit was $164. Patients aged 75 years or older were more likely to be hospitalized, but their hospitalizations were associated with lower costs than for younger patients. Male sex and non-White race/ethnicity were associated with higher probability of being hospitalized and higher medical costs. LIMITATION: Results are based on Medicare FFS patients. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in substantial disease and economic burden among older Americans, particularly those of non-White race/ethnicity. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: None.

Costs of Interventions to Increase Vaccination Coverage Among Children in the United States: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) has recommended several interventions that have been demonstrated to be effective at increasing vaccination coverage. OBJECTIVE: Conduct a systematic review to examine the costs of interventions designed to increase vaccination coverage among children and adolescents in the United States. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, EconLit, Embase, and Cochrane. STUDY ELIGIBILITY, PARTICIPANTS, AND INTERVENTIONS: Peer-reviewed articles from January 1, 2009 to August 31, 2019. APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: Studies were identified with systematic searches of the literature, reviewed for inclusion criteria, abstracted for data on intervention, target population, costs, and risk of bias. Cost measures were reported as costs per child in the target population, costs per vaccinated child, incremental costs per vaccinated child, and costs per vaccine dose administered. Results were stratified by intervention type, vaccine, and age group. RESULTS: Thirty-seven studies were identified for full-text review. Across all interventions and age groups, the cost per child ranged from $0.10 to $537.38, and the incremental cost per vaccinated child ranged from $6.52 to $5,098.57. Provider assessment and feedback interventions had the lowest (median) cost per child ($0.17) and a healthcare system-based combined intervention with multiple components had the lowest (median) incremental cost per vaccinated child ($26.65). A community-based combined intervention with multiple components had the highest median cost per child ($537.38) and the highest median incremental cost per vaccinated child ($5,098.57). LIMITATIONS: A small number of included intervention types and inconsistent cost definition. CONCLUSIONS: There is substantial variability in the costs of CPSTF-recommended interventions.

Decline in Receipt of Vaccines by Medicare Beneficiaries During the COVID-19 Pandemic - United States, 2020.

On March 13, 2020, the United States declared a national emergency concerning the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak (1). In response, many state and local governments issued shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders, restricting nonessential activities outside residents' homes (2). CDC initially issued guidance recommending postponing routine adult vaccinations, which was later revised to recommend continuing to administer routine adult vaccines (3). In addition, factors such as disrupted operations of health care facilities and safety concerns regarding exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, resulted in delay or avoidance of routine medical care (4), likely further affecting delivery of routine adult vaccinations. Medicare enrollment and claims data of Parts A (hospital insurance), B (medical insurance), and D (prescription drug insurance) were examined to assess the change in receipt of routine adult vaccines during the pandemic. Weekly receipt of four vaccines (13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine [PCV13], 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine [PPSV23], tetanus-diphtheria or tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine [Td/Tdap], and recombinant zoster vaccine [RZV]) by Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥65 years during January 5-July 18, 2020, was compared with that during January 6-July 20, 2019, for the total study sample and by race and ethnicity. Overall, weekly administration rates of the four examined vaccines declined by up to 89% after the national emergency declaration in mid-March (1) compared with those during the corresponding period in 2019. During the first week following the national emergency declaration, the weekly vaccination rates were 25%-62% lower than those during the corresponding week in 2019. After reaching their nadirs of 70%-89% below 2019 rates in the second to third week of April 2020, weekly vaccination rates gradually began to recover through mid-July, but by the last study week were still lower than were those during the corresponding period in 2019, with the exception of PPSV23. Vaccination declined sharply for all vaccines studied, overall and across all racial and ethnic groups. While the pandemic continues, vaccination providers should emphasize to patients the importance of continuing to receive routine vaccinations and provide reassurance by explaining the procedures in place to ensure patient safety (3).

Urban-Rural Disparities in Vaccination Service Use Among Low-Income Adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To access urban-rural disparities in vaccination service use among Medicaid-enrolled adolescents and examine its association with residence county characteristics. STUDY DESIGN: We used the 2016 Medicaid T-MSIS Analytic File to estimate adolescents' use of vaccination services, defined as the proportion of adolescents aged 11-18 years with ≥ 1 vaccination visit in a county. We used linear regression and the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition method to examine the association between county characteristics and urban-rural disparities in vaccination service use. RESULTS: The analysis included 2,473 counties located in 38 states. The mean proportion of adolescents making ≥ 1 vaccination visit at the county level was low (36.09%) and was lower in rural than in urban counties (31.99% vs. 36.85%, p < .01). The number of primary care physicians (PCPs) was positively associated with vaccination service use in rural counties; in urban counties, % of households without a vehicle was negatively associated with vaccination service use. The decomposition results showed that 66.78% (3.24 percentage points) of the urban-rural disparities in vaccination service use could be attributed to urban-rural differences in the county characteristics included in the study. Characteristics measuring access to care (number of PCPs), social and economic factors (% adults with at least a bachelor's degree and % children in poverty), quality of care (influenza vaccination rates and preventable hospital stays), and demographics (% non-Hispanic black, % Hispanic, and % females) played a role in urban-rural disparities. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in county characteristics could partly explain the observed urban-rural disparities in vaccination service use among low-income adolescents.

Primary Care Use Among Commercially Insured Adolescents: Evidence From the 2018 Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set.

INTRODUCTION: Improving the utilization of preventive care among adolescents is important for achieving individual-level and population-level health goals. The Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set reports data submitted by managed care health plans, capturing a large number of individuals in the U.S. METHODS: Using Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set from 2018, mean performance levels were calculated for 5 preventive care measures among adolescents. Differences in performance between states that use Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set or Health Plan Accreditation and those that use neither were estimated. Analysis was conducted in January-July 2020. RESULTS: The sample included data from 39 states, with 32 that use Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set or Health Plan Accreditation and 7 that do not. Adolescent vaccination coverage was 28% for the complete human papillomavirus series, 81% for meningococcal, and 88% for tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis. Access to a primary care practitioner (a 2-year measure) was 91%, and well-care visits (a 1-year measure) were 50%. When compared with states that do not use Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set or Health Plan Accreditation, the mean performance of states that used either Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set or Health Plan Accreditation was statistically significantly higher for 4 of the 5 assessed measures. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set measures can help public health officials to monitor progress toward health goals, such as Healthy People 2020, and identify poorly performing health plans and types of preventive services in greatest need of improvement. States using Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set or Health Plan Accreditation were associated with better performance in some adolescent measures, which suggests that health plan accountability may have a role in achieving health outcomes and could be an important area for future research.

Insurance Reimbursements for Routinely Recommended Adult Vaccines in the Private Sector.

INTRODUCTION: Financial concerns are frequently cited by providers as a barrier to adult vaccination. This study assessed insurance reimbursements to providers for administering vaccines to adults in the private sector. METHODS: This study, conducted in 2018, used the 2016 MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database and included vaccination visits made by adults aged 19-64 years. Four routinely recommended vaccines targeted at adults were included: tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap); tetanus and diphtheria toxoids (Td); zoster; and influenza. The mean reimbursements for vaccine purchase and administration were reported and examined by state, metropolitan statistical area, provider type, and insurance plan type. Using the private vaccine purchase price published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the study reported the proportion of vaccination visits receiving reimbursements above the CDC-published price. RESULTS: The mean vaccine administration reimbursement was $25.80 for the first dose and $14.71 for additional doses in the same visit. The mean vaccine purchase reimbursement was $44.15 for Tdap, $25.78 for Td, and $216.05 for the zoster vaccine; the unweighted mean for the four examined influenza vaccines was $17.25. Reimbursements varied widely by state. Vaccine reimbursements exceeded the CDC-published price for most visits where Tdap (71.4%), zoster (87.8%), and three of four influenza (61.5%-88.5%) vaccines were administered but only for 25.8% of visits where Td was given. CONCLUSIONS: On average, reimbursements for administering vaccines to privately insured adults were adequate for most private practices. However, providers' financial concerns may vary across geographic locations.

Provider Payments And The Receipt Of Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Among Privately Insured Adolescents.

Financial concerns such as high vaccine purchase costs and inadequate insurance reimbursement are cited as a key barrier to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of adolescents who are covered by private health insurance. Statistical evidence on the relationship between payments to providers for HPV vaccination and HPV vaccine uptake is limited. This study used data for 2008-14 from the MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters database and included adolescents ages 11-17 who had been continuously enrolled in the same noncapitated private insurance plan. Our estimates showed that a $1 increase in median provider payments in a state was associated with a 0.48-percentage-point increase in the probability of initiating the HPV vaccine series and a 0.25-percentage-point increase in the probability of receiving two or more doses. These numbers translated to an average increase of 49,435 adolescents initiating the series and 25,314 adolescents receiving two or more doses. The association between provider payments and HPV vaccine uptake was stronger among adolescents ages 11-12 than among older adolescents, and among adolescents who lived in a Metropolitan Statistical Area than those who did not.

Social Security Income and Health Care Spending: Evidence from the Social Security Notch.

The paper exploits Social Security legislation changes to identify the causal effect of Social Security income on out-of-pocket medical expenditures of the elderly. Using the 1986-1994 Consumer Expenditure Survey and an instrumental variables strategy, the empirical results show that health care expenditures are responsive to changes in Social Security income for elderly individuals with less than a high school education. The estimated income elasticities are between 1.41 and 3.47 depending on the outcome measures and are statistically significant at conventional levels. The findings are in contrast to existing studies that find a small income elasticity at the individual/household level.

Payments and Utilization of Immunization Services Among Children Enrolled in Fee-for-Service Medicaid.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between state Medicaid vaccine administration fees and children's receipt of immunization services. METHODS: The study used the 2008-2012 Medicaid Analytic eXtract data and included children aged 0-17 years and continuously enrolled in a Medicaid fee-for-service plan in each study year. Analyses were restricted to 8 states with a Medicaid managed-care penetration rate <75%. Linear regressions were used to estimate the probability of children making ≥1 vaccination visit and the numbers of vaccination visits in the year as a function of state Medicaid vaccine administration fees, age group, sex, race/ethnicity, state unemployment rate, state managed-care penetration rate, and state and year-fixed effects. RESULTS: A total of 1,678,288 children were included. In 2008-2012, the average proportion of children making ≥1 vaccination visit per year was 31% and the mean number of vaccination visits was 0.9. State Medicaid reimbursements for vaccine administration was positively associated with immunization service utilization; for every $1 increase in the payment amount, the probability of children making ≥1 vaccination visit increased by 0.72 percentage point (95% confidence interval, 0.23-1.21; P=0.01), representing a 2% increase from the mean and the number of vaccination visits increased by 0.03 (95% confidence interval, -0.00 to 0.06; P<0.1). The estimated effect was greater among younger children. CONCLUSION: Higher Medicaid reimbursements for vaccine administration were associated with increased proportion of children receiving immunization services.

Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Testing Among Pregnant Women, United States 2014.

BACKGROUND: Post-exposure prophylaxis administered to infants shortly after birth prevents approximately 90% of cases of perinatal hepatitis B virus (HBV) transmission. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that all pregnant women be tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) at an early prenatal visit during each pregnancy to detect active infection with HBV. This study sought to determine the proportion and characteristics of pregnant women tested\not tested according to Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations. METHODS: We analyzed MarketScan databases to assess prenatal HBsAg testing among women with commercial and Medicaid health care coverage according to demographic and clinical characteristics. Pregnant women 15-44 years of age continuously enrolled in a health plan in the MarketScan database during 2013 and 2014 and with a live birth in 2014 were included. RESULTS: Among commercially insured women, 239,955 (87.7%) received HBsAg testing and 59.6% were tested during their first trimester. Among Medicaid-enrolled women, 57,268 (83.6%) received HBsAg testing and 39.4% were tested during their first trimester. Among women with high risk pregnancies, HBsAg testing occurred in 87.3% of those with commercial insurance and 84.8% with Medicaid. Testing also varied by maternal age; among women with commercial insurance, testing was greatest among women 26-44 years of age, and among women with Medicaid, testing was greatest among younger women (15-25 years). Testing was lowest among women residing in the Northeast (commercial insurance only). CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal HBsAg testing identifies HBV-infected pregnant women so their infants can receive timely immunoprophylaxis. Efforts to optimize HBsAg testing among all pregnant women are needed to further prevent perinatal HBV transmission.

Education and disability trends of older Americans, 2000-2014.

Background: Trends in disability among older Americans has declined since the 1980s. The study examines whether the trend continues to decline and whether educational disparities exist in the prevalence of functional limitations. Methods: I used the 2000-2014 National Health Interview Survey and included adults aged ≥65 years. Functional limitations was measured by three outcomes: the need for help with activities of daily living (ADLs) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) and physical function limitations. I used a set of logistic models to estimate the average annual change rate of functional limitations. I examined whether the annual rate of change differed by education, age group and sex. Results: During 2000-2014, the annual increase rate of ADL limitations was 1.7% (P < 0.001) and was 2.0% (P < 0.001) for physical function limitations; IADL limitation did not change significantly. All subgroups experienced an increase in ADL and physical function limitations except for adults with a more than high school education. The lower-educated group had a higher proportion and a higher annual rate of increase in all outcomes. Increasing trends in chronic conditions may contribute to the increasing trend in functional limitations. Conclusions: The study highlighted a large educational disparity in late-life disability among older Americans.

Social security income and the utilization of home care: Evidence from the social security notch.

This paper exploits Social Security law changes to identify the effect of Social Security income on the use of formal and informal home care by the elderly. Results from an instrumental variables estimation strategy show that as retirement income increases, elderly individuals increase their use of formal home care and become less likely to rely on informal home care provided to them by their children. This negative effect on informal home care is most likely driven by male children withdrawing from their caregiving roles. The empirical results also suggest that higher Social Security benefits would encourage the use of formal home care by those who would not have otherwise used any type of home care and would also encourage the use of both types of home care services among elderly individuals.

Trends and characteristics of preventive care visits among commercially insured adolescents, 2003-2010.

OBJECTIVE: To examine preventive care visit patterns among commercially insured adolescents during 2003-2010. In 2005-2007, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended 3 vaccines targeted at adolescents. We also investigate the relationship between preventive care visits and immunization. STUDY DESIGN: Data were drawn from the MarketScan database. Adolescents aged 11-21 continuously enrolled in the same insurance plan during the calendar year were included. We calculated the annual proportion of adolescents with at least 1 preventive and 1 vaccination-related visit. Longitudinal analyses were conducted by following the 1992 birth cohort for 8 consecutive years. RESULTS: The proportion of adolescents making at least 1 preventive visit increased from 24.6%-41.1% during 2003-2010. The rate of vaccination-related visits increased from 12.9%-26.3%. The magnitude of the increase in preventive and vaccination-related visits was greater during the years in which ACIP issued recommendations. The rates of preventive and vaccination-related visits were considerably higher among female and early adolescents and adolescents in managed care plans. Longitudinal analyses indicated that only 2.4% of adolescents had an annual preventive visit during the 8 years. CONCLUSIONS: Yearly improvements in preventive care visits by adolescents were substantial. ACIP recommendations may be associated with this improvement. However, ongoing efforts are needed to improve the use and delivery of preventive care services.