Dobson | DaVanzo recently co-authored a blog with The Commonwealth Fund titled, “Without Renewal of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, Rural Hospital Revenues Will Drop by $1.6 Billion.” The analysis employed the Dobson | DaVanzo Hospital Finance Simulation Model (HFSM) to estimate the financial impact of the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits on hospitals. The model uses the latest Medicare Hospital Cost Report data, allowing for the examination of revenues and expenses by payer for each acute care hospital.

The study found that the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits for people enrolled in marketplace plans could cause large coverage losses, leading to a nearly 10 percent decline in operating margins, on average, for rural hospitals. Rural hospitals in states that did not expand Medicaid could experience a 38 percent decline in operating margins, on average, with larger declines in certain states. The blog post is available on The Commonwealth Fund’s website, and an extended version of the analysis is available on our website.

Gemma Axelrad recently joined Dobson | DaVanzo as a Research Analyst. She earned her Master of Public Health in Policy and Management from NYU, where she focused her studies on health equity, food systems, and healthcare reform. Prior to joining Dobson | DaVanzo, Ms. Axelrad served as a Food Standards Associate at the New York City Department of Health, where she supported the rollout of updated citywide nutrition standards and developed technical assistance tools to aid in policy implementation. She also worked as a Qualitative Research Associate at Weill Cornell Medicine on a study examining weight loss and social networks, conducting participant interviews and managing data quality. Earlier, as a Policy Intern with Food Systems Collaborative, she advanced legislative priorities on food recovery, date labeling, and college hunger through research and advocacy. We are thrilled that Gemma has joined our team and are confident that her skills and expertise will contribute to the success of our organization.

The co-authored analysis was an issue brief titled, “The Impact of Proposed Federal Medicaid Work Requirements on Hospital Revenues and Financial Margins.” The study found that work requirements for Americans covered by the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid eligibility expansion could cause large coverage losses, leading to an 11.7 to 13.3 percent decline in operating margins, on average, for hospitals in Medicaid expansion states. Safety-net hospitals, which treat a higher proportion of low-income and Medicaid patients, could experience a 25.9 to 29.6 percent reduction in operating margins, on average, with even greater declines in rural areas and certain states. The full issue brief is available on The Commonwealth Fund’s website.

We are pleased to announce that Dobson | DaVanzo was recently awarded the Medicare Part D Manufacturer Discount Program Data Support contract with CMS. This project supports CMS through analyses related to the Manufacturer Discount Program, which replaced the Coverage Gap Discount Program as mandated by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. In addition, under this project the team provides plan sponsors with information to more effectively coordinate benefits for their enrollees in line with CMS policy, and analyzes other aspects of the Part D program. Dobson | DaVanzo, together with our subcontractor, Acumen, LLC, looks forward to continuing this important work with CMS.

Dobson | DaVanzo is proud to share a recent study conducted by our team, published in Prosthetics and Orthotics International, which highlights the impact of providing microprocessor knees (MPKs) to Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) K2 beneficiaries (those with above-knee or knee disarticulation amputations who have the ability or potential for ambulation to traverse low level environmental barriers such as curbs, stairs, or uneven surfaces). 

Using Medicare FFS claims data and propensity score weighting techniques, the study found that MPK provision was associated with an 18.5% reduction in injurious falls resulting in a medical claim among K2 beneficiaries. Additionally, provision of MPKs to the K2 beneficiaries led to an average medical cost savings of $1,351 per member per month, amortizing the $25,075 cost difference between MPKs and non-microprocessor knees within 19 months. Over a 10-year period, projected Medicare savings could reach $410.3 million.

These findings contribute to the ongoing policy discussion about Medicare coverage for MPKs in the K2 population. In March 2023, CMS released a draft policy for public comment regarding this coverage, marking an initial step toward potential changes in reimbursement. This study provides new data to inform policymakers and other stakeholders as they consider the implications of expanding MPK coverage for K2 beneficiaries.

With the recent changes in the Administration, shifts in health policy priorities are inevitable. For organizations impacted by these developments, understanding the implications and leveraging data to adapt is more crucial than ever.

At Dobson | DaVanzo, we specialize in health policy and economic analyses, offering comprehensive data analytics and policy insights to help our clients make informed decisions. Whether you need to evaluate the effects of proposed regulations, assess financial implications, or identify trends in healthcare access, our team provides the expertise and tools to translate complex data into actionable strategies.

Through our work, we empower decision-makers across the healthcare ecosystem with information to understand an evolving policy landscape. We maintain access to 100% Research Identifiable File data through our Innovator Data Use Agreement with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), incorporating the most currently available Medicare (Fee-for-Service and Medicare Advantage) and Medicaid data into our analyses as appropriate. We look forward to continuing to leverage these data in support of your organization’s needs.

Mia Taylor joined Dobson | DaVanzo as a Research Analyst in November 2024. Mia holds a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts in Health and Society from the University of Vermont. In her previous roles as a Research Fellow at Boston University and as a Program Assistant at the New England Public Health Training Center, Mia gained valuable experience in public health research and project coordination.

We are thrilled that Mia has joined our team and are confident that her skills and expertise will contribute to the success of our organization.

Dobson | DaVanzo provides expert testimony, litigation support, and economic analyses to help courts, plaintiffs, and defendants address complex healthcare issues. From assessing damages in state-level opioid cases to uncovering fraudulent billing and projecting future care costs, our team develops insights that drive legal decisions.

Our experienced economists leverage advanced analytical techniques and large medical datasets to provide comprehensive, data-driven solutions. With expertise in administrative claims, market research, and patient records, our analyses withstand rigorous legal scrutiny.

From pre-trial discovery to trial preparation and expert rebuttal, we assist at every stage of litigation. Visit our Litigation Support page to learn how we empower legal teams with trusted healthcare insights.

Last month, Dobson | DaVanzo spoke at the National Association of Long-Term Care Hospitals (NALTH) Fall 2024 Leadership Conference. The presentation covered trends in Medicare post-acute care, findings from a Dobson | DaVanzo analysis of Medicare Advantage (MA) data, and potential impacts on LTCHs related to the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM).

Dobson | DaVanzo values the opportunity to connect with this unique group of providers and to support them with data and policy analyses as the healthcare industry continues to experience volatility and change.

We are pleased to announce that Dobson | DaVanzo was recently awarded the Medicare Part D Payment Process contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) under our General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS). Activities under this contract have two main objectives: maintaining the integrity of prescription drug event (PDE) data and supporting Part D payment processes, including analyzing key inputs to the annual Part D payment reconciliation, while ensuring the smooth implementation of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) changes that impact these areas. 

This is our largest contract with CMS to date – Dobson | DaVanzo, together with our subcontractor Acumen, LLC, looks forward to supporting CMS in this important work. 

In addition to the most current 100% Medicare Fee-for-Service Research Identifiable Files, Dobson | DaVanzo’s access to the latest available (2022 preliminary) Medicare Advantage Encounter and Medicaid TAF data was recently approved by CMS. Further, our access to the latest (2022) post-acute assessment data (MDS, OASIS, and IRF-PAI) was also approved. 

Our access to the latest Medicare Fee-for-Service, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid data enables analyses of ongoing trends in healthcare, particularly as beneficiaries continue to shift from Fee-for-Service to Medicare Advantage and as Medicaid enrollment changes. We utilize these data to assess geographic variation in practice patterns, demographics, risk, program impacts, and care quality. We also utilize these data to analyze policy changes and to inform quality and performance improvement efforts among providers, suppliers, and other involved organizations. 

For more information, please send us an email at info@dobsondavanzo.com. 

Eric Parrilla is our newest intern at Dobson | DaVanzo. He is a rising second-year undergraduate attending The University of Chicago currently majoring in Public Policy Studies and Economics. Eric brings policy research experience from his work as a student journalist and a fellow for a local school board member in Miami-Dade County. Eric aims to continue supporting economic policy analyses as he moves forward in his career, either in the federal government or in the private sector.

We are pleased to announce that Dobson | DaVanzo was recently awarded the Medicare Part D Claims Analyses contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

This project supports CMS in managing and providing oversight of the Part D benefit through a variety of analyses that assess the program, its impact on the health outcomes of beneficiaries, and the implications of future policy changes. The Medicare Part D Claims Analyses are an important resource used by CMS to monitor sponsor compliance with the Part D program requirements and the effectiveness of their quality improvement efforts.

Dobson | DaVanzo, together with our subcontractor, Acumen, LLC, looks forward to supporting CMS in this important work through our analyses that monitor and measure the compliance of Medicare Part D sponsors with federal regulations.

Dobson | DaVanzo is pleased to announce that we have been selected to conduct and produce Community Health Network, Inc.'s (CHNw) 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) reports. This project will assess the health needs of communities throughout Central Indiana served by CHNw. Throughout 2024, our team will develop five comprehensive reports, tailored to each of CHNw's distinguished acute care facilities. We look forward to producing insightful findings and impactful recommendations as we collaborate to enhance community health and well-being of Indiana residents. 

At Dobson | DaVanzo, our consultants have a long history of helping clients evaluate and respond to policy changes by providing sophisticated, yet clear, analyses. Our team conducted an analysis to identify possible underlying causes of a significantly decreased prospective payment amount for a particular procedure in a recent final rule. Our analysis replicated CMS’ calculations, using 100% Medicare Fee-for-Service claims data, and provided our client with critical information to further their dialogue with CMS, which ultimately resulted in CMS’ revision of the final rule to increase the payment amount.