Impact of hospice drug policies on costs, use, and access in older adults
Official title: Impact of New Hospice Drug Policies on Expenditures, Utilization, Prescribing Quality, and Access
Funded at Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester · NIH-11425333 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant looks at how changes in hospice drug payments affect what medications are used, how much is spent, and how easily older adults can access the drugs they need.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Worcester, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $399,999 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HS029507-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11425333 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Older adults (65+) enrolled in Medicare hospice programs and using Part D medications.
✕Less likely to help
Hospice patients not affected by policy changes or those not enrolled in Part D may see little direct impact.
What this research studies
The project will analyze nationwide Medicare data to understand how policy shifts since 2014 have changed Part D expenses and medication use in hospice care. Researchers will link Part D and hospice drug records to capture complete medication utilization from the Medicare perspective. They will use a retrospective interrupted time series to compare pre- and post-2014 periods and examine factors linked to ongoing high drug costs and prescribing patterns in older hospice patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could help policymakers and clinicians optimize hospice drug coverage to improve access and reduce unnecessary spending for older patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous audits identified double payments; this study builds on that knowledge with a nationwide, patient-centered analysis.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
Worcester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tjia, Jennifer — Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
- Study coordinator: Tjia, Jennifer
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.