The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), in partnership with Mathematica, are conducting a comprehensive study to identify promising practices aimed at reducing disparities in COVID-19 vaccination and testing, and policy options to promote equitable, routine vaccination.
Reports
Displaying 1 - 50 of 4308
Report to Congress - The Burden of Cardiovascular Disease in the United States: Patterns and Barriers to Care
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a broad category of diseases affecting approximately half of American adults. Despite progress in treatment and management, CVD still has a large health, mortality, and economic burden. This report to Congress describes CVD and its adverse health outcomes, as well as certain risk factors and prevention and treatment options.
Measuring Preparedness for Public Health and Health Care Emergencies: The Current State of Preparedness Metrics in the United States and Considerations for the Future
To help the federal government and STLT jurisdictions better prepare for emergencies, there is a need to understand how prepared different jurisdictions are for various emergencies. However, assessing whether a jurisdiction is prepared for different emergencies is inherently complex and there is a lack of consensus among practitioners and scholars on how to approach preparedness measurement.
Nursing Home Closures Did Not Increase in 2020 and 2021, Despite Financial Challenges Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic Issue Brief
Nursing homes experienced unprecedented financial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, raising concerns about a potential increase in nursing home closures.
Racial, Ethnic, and Socioeconomic Differences in COVID-19 Diagnosis and Mortality Among Nursing Home Residents
Nursing homes have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to examine whether there were racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic differences in COVID-19 infection and mortality rates at both the nursing home resident and nursing home facility levels. The study includes national data on COVID-19 outcomes for nursing home residents through the end of June 2021.
FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation Reduced Late-Stage Drug Development Time
This landing page presents the abstract of a paper published in Health Affairs. The full text of the article is available at: https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/abs/10.1377/hlthaff.2023.00837.
National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Progress Report: Fiscal Year 2022
The evolution of pathogens to resist the drugs used to treat infections is an ongoing threat to public health, animal health, food production, and national security. Globally, a recent analysis estimated that 1.2 million deaths were caused by antibiotic-resistant (AR) bacteria in 2019, making this threat a leading cause of death for people of all ages worldwide.
National Uninsured Rate at 8.2 Percent in the First Quarter of 2024
Topics
Health Insurance
Newly released data from the National Health Interview Survey indicate no statistically significant change in the uninsured rate in the first quarter of 2024 from the previous year.
Addressing the Maternal Health Crisis in the United States: An Update from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Topics
Maternal & Child Health
This report has been prepared by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH), Office on Women's Health (OWH) and the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) in concert with other HHS agencies within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This report discusses activities and outcomes of HHS programs addressing the maternal health crisis.
Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program: Medicare Prices Negotiated for 2026 Compared to List and U.S. Market Prices
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) makes improvements to Medicare to increase accessibility and affordability of prescription drugs for Medicare enrollees, reduce the rate of growth in Medicare drug spending, and improve the financial sustainability of the Medicare program.
Barriers and Opportunities for Improving Interstate Licensure Portability for Behavioral Health Practitioners: Technical Expert Panel Findings Issue Brief
In October 2022, ASPE convened a virtual technical expert panel (TEP) to discuss policy options that encourage interstate licensure among behavioral health providers.
Building Successful Data Linking Teams for Child Welfare and Medicaid Agencies: Lessons Learned from the Child Welfare and Health Infrastructure for Linking and Data Analysis of Resources, Effectiveness, and Needs (CHILDREN) Initiative
Linking data across public systems is beneficial for a multitude of reasons including care coordination, improving research on populations engaged with multiple public services, and improving program integrity.
Evaluation of the Assisted Outpatient Treatment Grant Program for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness
Assisted outpatient treatment (AOT) is a civil court procedure whereby a judge orders an adult with serious mental illness (SMI) to comply with community-based treatment. Developed as a less restrictive alternative to involuntary hospitalization, AOT focuses on individuals at risk of clinical deterioration or rehospitalization because they do not voluntarily comply with prescribed treatment.
Trends in Medicaid and CHIP Telehealth, 2019-2021 Part I: Medicaid and CHIP Telehealth Utilization by Enrollee Characteristics
Topics
Healthcare Coverage & Access
The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically increased the number of Medicaid and CHIP services delivered via telehealth to all enrollees, regardless of age or race and ethnicity. This Issue Brief examines changes in Medicaid utilization of telehealth services by enrollee characteristics.
Developing a Database of SUD Treatment Needs
A 2020 study examined the feasibility of using substance use disorder (SUD) patient intake assessment data as source of information for treatment planning.
Linking Medical Product Manufacturing Locations with Natural Hazard Risk: Implications for the Medical Product Supply Chain
This ASPE data point links manufacturer location data with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Risk Index (NRI), which describes relative risk of experiencing a variety of natural hazards in order to highlight the ways in which natural disasters may pose supply chain vulnerabilities within the U.S.
Integrating Services to Strengthen Children, Youth, and Families and Prevent Involvement in the Child Welfare System
Topics
Care & Service Delivery Settings
| Case Management
| Evidence-Based Policies & Practices
| Prevention
| Social Determinants of Health
| Adoption & Foster Care
| Child Maltreatment
| Child Welfare
| Family Well-Being
| Evidence-Based Policymaking
| Preventive Services
| Family Homelessness
| Youth Homelessness
| Access to Services and Benefits & Services Integration
| Social Safety Net
| Welfare, Welfare Reform, & TANF
| Poverty & Economic Mobility
| Poverty & Income Dynamics
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has been working with researchers, human services agency leaders, and persons with lived experience to visualize, describe, and document models of primary prevention within human services.
Exploration of Child Welfare Systems’ Experiences with Custody Relinquishment
This one-pager describes the research questions and objectives of a project exploring the use of custody relinquishment, or when children enter foster care primarily to obtain behavioral health or disability services.
Improving Services for Children and Families through Linked Child Welfare and Medicaid Data
This two-pager describes several child welfare and Medicaid data linking projects and lessons learned from those projects. For example, the brief highlights key lessons such as the value in providing states with support in navigating data governance and in strengthening and harmonizing data infrastructure on child welfare service.
Impact of COVID-19 on Clinical Trials Costs to Patients
This environmental scan, conducted by Mathematica and funded by ASPE, examines the types of direct and direct costs to patients associated with clinical trial participation. It also explores the effect of COVID-19 on costs to patients, including cost implications of clinical trial innovations widely implemented during COVID-19 and other efforts to increase diversity of clinical trials.
Transformation of the Clinical Trial Enterprise: Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic
In 2023, ASPE launched a research project to understand the impacts of COVID-19 on the clinical trial enterprise and identify key lessons learned.
Medical Product Shortages in the United States: Demographic and Geographic Factors and Impacts
Medical product shortages are an ongoing public health concern, with at least 140 products in shortage as of July 2024.We use the Household Pulse Survey to examine how many adults are affected by shortages of critical medical products in the United States.In fall 2023, shortages of medical products impacted about 38.8 million (18 percent) of individuals in the United Stat
Impacts of a Nonprofit Membership-Based Pharmaceutical Company on Volume of Drugs Sold and Drug Prices: A Case Study
We report findings of a case study of Civica Rx, a U.S. nonprofit pharmaceutical company whose model is based on long-term hospital membership agreements with minimum volume commitments and buffer stock requirements.Related Products:
The Potential Role of The Nonprofit Pharmaceutical Industry in Addressing Shortages and Increasing Access to Essential Medicines and Low-Cost Medicines
We report findings of a study that described the emerging nonprofit pharmaceutical industry and its commercialization activities to enhance access to affordable and essential drugs, or resiliency in the supply chains of medical products.
State Fact Sheets: Impacts of the IRA and ACA on Lowering Health Care Costs, 2024
These Fact Sheets highlight health care cost savings achieved under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for each of the fifty states and the District of Columbia. Enrollee savings on Medicare Part D out-of-pocket costs, insulin, vaccines, and Marketplace premiums are presented.
Nurse Staffing Estimates in US Nursing Homes, May 2024
In April 2024, CMS issued the Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting final rule which established new minimum nurse staffing requirements for nursing homes by nurse type.
Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Section 1915(c) Waiver Policy Flexibilities During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: State Agency, Provider, and Consumer Experiences Issue Brief
States may use Appendix K to modify their existing Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) 1915(c) waiver programs during emergency situations. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, states used Appendix K to make temporary changes to access and eligibility, payment, services, and other aspects of their waiver programs.
FY 2024 HHS Capacity Assessment Check In
The FY2024 Capacity Assessment Check In is part of the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) multi-year approach for addressing the primary capacity building needs identified through the initial FY2023-2026 HHS Capacity Assessment.
Behavioral Health Treatment by Service Type and Race and Ethnicity for Children and Youth Involved with the Child Welfare System
Children and youth involved with the child welfare system frequently have behavioral health conditions and are high users of behavioral health services compared to children and youth in other Medicaid eligibility categories.
Changes in Ownership of Skilled Nursing Facilities from 2016 to 2021: Variations by Size, Occupancy Rate, Penalty Amount, and Type of Ownership
Stakeholders, researchers, and policymakers have identified varying nursing home ownership structures and ownership transactions as potentially influencing the quality of care delivered to vulnerable residents.
Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care among American Indians and Alaska Natives: Recent Trends and Key Challenges
The uninsured rate among non-elderly American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) decreased from 32.4 percent in 2010 to 19.9 percent in 2022 – however, the AI/AN population continues to have the highest uninsured rate compared to other racial and ethnic populations.
Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care Among Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders: Recent Trends and Key Challenges
Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) experienced larger relative gains in health insurance coverage than any other racial or ethnic group in the United States since the Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010.
Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care Among Latino Americans: Recent Trends and Key Challenges
The uninsured rate for nonelderly Latinos decreased from 32.7 percent to 18.0 percent, from 2010 to 2022, however, Latinos are more than twice as likely to be uninsured as non-Latino Whites.
HHS Actions to Enhance Diversity in Clinical Research
Clinical research forms the foundation for understanding and developing treatments for all types of medical conditions, but participants often do not reflect the diversity of the nation – in terms of sex, age, race, ethnicity, disability status, gender identity, socioeconomic status, geography, or other characteristics.
Improving Access to Affordable and Equitable Health Coverage: A Review from 2010 to 2024
Recent legislative and administrative policy initiatives have built on the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) expansion of health insurance coverage and improvements in access to and utilization of health care services.
Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care Among Black Americans: Recent Trends and Key Challenges
Since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act’s coverage provisions, the uninsured rate among nonelderly Black Americans decreased by 10 percentage points, from 20.9 percent in 2010 to 10.8 percent in 2022.
Welfare Indicators and Risk Factors: 23rd Report to Congress
Topics
Caseload Trends & Dynamics
| Evidence-Based Policies & Practices
| Child Welfare
| Family Well-Being
| Teen Pregnancy
| Administrative Data
| Demographic Data
| Evidence-Based Policymaking
| Modeling & Simulation
| Key Indicators
| Employment & Self-Sufficiency
| Social Safety Net
| Welfare, Welfare Reform, & TANF
| Human Services Policy
The Welfare Indicators Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-432) requires the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to prepare an annual report to Congress on indicators and predictors of “welfare dependence.” That Act requires the report to include three programs: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program (which replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)
National Uninsured Rate Remains at 7.7 Percent in the Fourth Quarter of 2023
Topics
Health Insurance
Newly released data from the National Health Interview Survey indicates no statistically significant change in the uninsured rate from the previous three quarters of 2023 and a continued steady decline in uninsurance since 2020.
Medicare Advantage Coverage Among Individuals Receiving Federal Housing Assistance
Prior research from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) show older adults receiving federal housing assistance face disproportionately high rates of chronic conditions and health care utilization.
Building the Data Capacity for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research: The 2023 Annual Report
The 2023 Office of the Secretary Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund (OS-PCORTF) Annual Report highlights the accomplishments of 36 multi-agency projects that supports the four goals of the strategic plan:
Tele-Behavioral Health Use Among Medicare Beneficiaries During COVID-19
This issue brief summarizes analyses of Medicare fee-for-service data examining beneficiary use of tele-behavioral health services during 2019 and 2020. Results demonstrate that the number of Medicare beneficiaries receiving behavioral health care via telehealth increased dramatically during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Measuring Success in Advancing Equity
Health and human services policies and programs have wide-ranging effects on individuals and communities which can facilitate optimal health and well-being or impose harm, particularly for historically underserved communities.
Trends and Disparities in Pandemic Telehealth Use among People with Disabilities
This Issue Brief explores telehealth use for people and Medicare beneficiaries with disabilities and examines questions on the use of audio-only telehealth during the second and third years of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Feasibility of Calculating Measures to Monitor Quality Performance of Behavioral Health Programs
The calculation of behavioral health quality measures at the clinic level holds great promise for monitoring clinic performance over time, and for providing information for clinics to use to revise their processes and procedures to improve their performance.
Inflation Reduction Act Research Series: Medicare Part D Enrollee Vaccine Use After Elimination of Cost Sharing for Recommended Vaccines in 2023
Effective January 1, 2023, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) eliminated cost sharing and deductibles for adult vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) covered under Medicare Part D. In 2023, 10.3 million Medicare Part D enrollees received a recommended vaccine free of charge, which saved enrollees more than $400 million in out-of-pocket costs.
Improving Data on the Workforce Delivering Home and Community-Based Services
On April 25, 2024, HHS and DoL released recommendations, in the form of an Issue Brief, to improve data infrastructure on the workforce delivering home and community-based services (HCBS) in response to President Biden’s
Exploring Patient Care Navigation in the Medicare Program
Topics
Health Policy
Patient navigation provides support and information to patients and their families to help navigate the complexities of health care services. These programs or services may include providing support and resources to inform clinical patient choices, financial responsibilities, and available social and community services.
Primary care spending in Medicare fee-for-service: An illustrative analysis using alternative definitions of primary care
Topics
Primary Care
This issue brief uses Medicare fee-for-service data to conduct illustrative analyses of primary care spending using a methodology that has been frequently used by policymakers and academics and can be applied to claims data.