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Disease-Specific Plan Switching Between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage
Sungchul Park, Paul Arthur Fishman, Lindsay L. Y. White, Eric B.B. Larson, Norma B. Coe. The Permanente Journal, 2019-11-21
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Beneficiaries with a new diagnosis of Alzheimer disease and related dementias, hypertension, and psychiatric disorders had relatively high rates of switching into MA plans and low rates of switching out of MA plans. Among those with new diagnoses of psychiatric disorders and diabetes, more costly beneficiaries (those with higher costs) switched into MA plans. For cancer, more costly beneficiaries remained in MA plans. Together, these results suggest that MA plans may have not only higher caseloads but also a more costly case mix of beneficiaries with certain diseases than historically was the case. Our findings can help inform MA plans to understand their beneficiaries' disease burden and prepare for provision of relevant services.
Key findings
- Beneficiaries with a new diagnosis of Alzheimer disease and related dementias, hypertension, and psychiatric disorders had relatively high rates of switching into MA plans and low rates of switching out of MA plans.
- Among those with new diagnoses of psychiatric disorders and diabetes, more costly beneficiaries (those with higher costs) switched into MA plans.
- For cancer, more costly beneficiaries remained in MA plans.
- Together, these results suggest that MA plans may have not only higher caseloads but also a more costly case mix of beneficiaries with certain diseases than historically was the case.
- Our findings can help inform MA plans to understand their beneficiaries' disease burden and prepare for provision of relevant services.
Why it matters
This study found that beneficiaries with a new diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias had relatively high rates of switching into Medicare Advantage plans and low rates of switching out. It does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 41/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The Permanente Journal) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | The Permanente Journal: journal h-index 77 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2019 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 18 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.0 citations a year over 9 year(s) since 2019 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 6 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Norma B. Coe: h-index 31 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | University of Washington: institution h-index 3,540 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 31852048) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 41 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Park, S., Fishman, P. A., White, L. L. Y., Larson, E. B., & Coe, N. B. (2019). Disease-Specific Plan Switching Between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. The Permanente Journal. https://doi.org/10.7812/tpp/19.059
Vancouver
Park S, Fishman PA, White LLY, Larson EB, Coe NB. Disease-Specific Plan Switching Between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage. The Permanente Journal. 2019. doi:10.7812/tpp/19.059. PMID: 31852048.
BibTeX
@article{park2019-31852048,
author = {Park, Sungchul and Fishman, Paul Arthur and White, Lindsay L. Y. and Larson, Eric B.B. and Coe, Norma B.},
title = {{Disease-Specific Plan Switching Between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage}},
journal = {The Permanente Journal},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.7812/tpp/19.059},
pmid = {31852048},
url = {https://doi.org/10.7812/tpp/19.059}
}
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