How race and dual Medicare‑Medicaid enrollment affect access to stroke rehabilitation and recovery
Race and Medicare-Medicaid Dual Enrollment Disparities in Access to Quality and Intensity of Post-Acute Rehabilitation Care and Health Outcomes in Patients with Stroke
This project looks at whether race and having both Medicare and Medicaid change the quality and amount of rehab people get after a stroke and how that shapes recovery for adult stroke survivors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11239789 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You will learn whether being a racial or ethnic minority or having both Medicare and Medicaid changes where stroke survivors go for inpatient rehab and how much therapy they receive. The researchers will analyze nationwide Medicare claims and rehab assessment data from 2017–2022 to compare facility quality ratings and therapy intensity. They will also interview patients, caregivers, hospital discharge planners, and rehabilitation clinicians across different regions to hear how people choose rehab facilities. Finally, they will link facility quality and therapy amounts to patient health outcomes after stroke.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adult stroke survivors—especially African American or Hispanic patients and people enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid—who received inpatient rehabilitation after their stroke.
Not a fit: People who never had a stroke, are under 21, or did not receive inpatient rehabilitation (or are not Medicare beneficiaries) are unlikely to be directly affected by this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point out care gaps and guide policy or practice changes to improve access to better rehab and more therapy for minority and dual‑eligible stroke survivors.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has documented racial and insurance‑related differences in post‑stroke care, but combining national Medicare claims with interviews to link rehab facility quality and therapy intensity to outcomes is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Salt Lake City, United States
- Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah — Salt Lake City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kumar, Amit — Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
- Study coordinator: Kumar, Amit
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.