Making Medicare competition work better for beneficiaries
Making Competition Work for Medicare Beneficiaries
This project looks at whether stronger competition between Medicare Advantage plans and Traditional Medicare can give people on Medicare better coverage and lower costs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard Medical School NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11416690 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From the patient's point of view, researchers will compare how private Medicare Advantage plans and Traditional Medicare perform on coverage, access, and costs. They will analyze large Medicare datasets and regional market differences to see whether a more generous Traditional Medicare could push private plans to offer better value. The team will focus on areas with few insurer choices and on beneficiaries with chronic conditions to understand real-world effects. Their findings could point to policy changes that help beneficiaries get better care for less money.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This work is most relevant to people on Medicare—especially those enrolled in Medicare Advantage or Traditional Medicare, and those with chronic illnesses or who live in areas with limited plan options.
Not a fit: People who are not enrolled in Medicare (for example, those under 65 with private insurance) would not expect direct benefits from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If the findings inform policy changes, beneficiaries could gain improved coverage, better access to care, and lower out-of-pocket costs.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has examined payment and regulation effects in Medicare Advantage, but directly testing how competition between Medicare Advantage and Traditional Medicare affects patient value is less explored.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Harvard Medical School — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcwilliams, John Michael — Harvard Medical School
- Study coordinator: Mcwilliams, John Michael
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.