Research Projects

CMS research efforts span many topics, methods, and interests. Some projects address the Agency's immediate information needs, like patterns of prescription drug use. Others are aimed at long-term research needs, such as risk adjuster mechanisms for different payment systems. Suggestions for research projects come from many sources, including Agency managers, the CMS Administrator, HHS Secretary, Congress, or others. The intramural researchers at CMS also propose, conduct, and manage research that takes place both in-house and through research contracts. The CMS Office of Research, Development, and Information (ORDI) coordinates the Agency's research. On this page, you'll find a description of important, recent research projects plus links to additional information.

General Research Reports and Publications

2003 CMS Active Projects Report


The annual Active Projects Report: Research and Demonstrations in Health Care Financing provides basic information on all CMS research, demonstration and evaluation projects active from January 1 through December 31, 2002.

Health Care Financing Review
The Health Care Financing Review, CMS's subscription journal, seeks to contribute to an improved understanding of the Medicare and Medicaid programs and the U.S. health care system. Our quarterly thematic issues present information and analyses on a broad range of health care financing and delivery issues.

Other Research Publications
CMS makes available many research-oriented publications. Some of the most popular and current ones are listed here. You'll also find links to other pages with other CMS publications of interest to the research and policy community.

Consumer Research and Communication Reports Reports from CMS-sponsored research are available on a broad range of topics discussing the information needs and preferences of people with Medicare and those who act on their behalf, including consumers with special needs, and how to reach them through effective communication strategies and materials.

Reporting on Research Results

Reports from CMS-sponsored research are available on a broad range of health care issues. The Agency's research agency focuses on eight themes for priority review. These eight themes appear below, along with selected research reports related to that theme.

Theme 1: Monitoring and Evaluating CMS Programs

• Final Report to Congress: (.pdf 106 KB) Evaluation of Medicare's Competitive Bidding Demonstration For Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies; Karon, S. L., Hoeger, T., Bernard, S., Tate, K., Lindrooth, T. W., Jewel, K.; Final Evaluation Report (.pdf 1,637 KB)
• Results from the 2003 Targeted Beneficiary Survey on Access to Physician Services Among Medicare Beneficiaries--Final Report (June 17, 2004) Lake, T., Gold, M., Ciemnecki, A., Sinclair, M., Dia-Tena, N., Lamothe-Galette, C., Limpa-Amara, S. (zipped 677 KB)
• Impact of Prescription Drug Coverage on Medicare Program Expenditures (January 24, 2004) Wrobel, M. (Abt); Stuart, B., Briesacher, B. Doshi, J., (University of Maryland) (.pdf 1,550 KB)
• Sub-Zero Premium M+C Plan Evaluation (September 30, 2003) Laschober, M., McLerran, D., McIntyre, D., Ward, A. M.., Dougherty, K., Silva, N. (.pdf 7,824 KB)
• Use of Medicare Data to Monitor Physician Access (October 15, 2002) Cromwell, J., Hoover, S., Adamache, W. O., McCall, T. (.pdf 1,077 KB)
• Multi-State Evaluation of Dual Eligible's Demonstration Minnesota Senior Health Options Evaluation Focusing on Utilization, Cost, and Quality of Care, Final Report (October 2002, Revised January 2003 and August 2003) Kane, R. L., Homyak, P., Division of Health Services Research and Policy, University of Minnesota School of Public Health) (.pdf 1,760 KB)
  
• Evaluation of the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) and Specified Low-income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) Programs, Volume 1, Final Report (October 1, 2003) Haber, S. G., Adamache, W., Walsh, E. G., Hoover, S., Bir, A., Caswell, C. (New England Research Institutes) Simpshon., (New England Research Institutes) H. Smith, K. (New England Research (.pdf 835 KB)
  
• Evaluation of the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) and Specified Low-income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) Programs, Volume 2, Final Report (October 1, 2003) Haber, S. G., Adamache, W., Walsh, E. G., Hoover, S., Bir, A., Caswell, C. (New England Research Institutes) Simpshon., (New England Research Institutes) H. Smith, K. (New England Research (.pdf 948 KB)
  


• Evaluation of Medicare's Competitive Bidding Demonstration for DMEPOS -- First-Year Annual Evaluation Report; January 2001(.pdf 522 KB)


• National Evaluation of the Medicare & You 2000 Handbook: Final Report (October 2001) McCormack, L., Anderson, W., Daugherty, S., Ross, K., Kuo, M., Scheffler, S, and Garfinkel, S. (.pdf  1,400 KB)


• The Final Evaluation Report on the National Home Health Prospective Payment Demonstration: Agencies Reduce Visits While Preserving Quality; April 2001 (.pdf 343 KB)

Theme 2: Improving Managed Care Payment and Delivery

• Medicare Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Geographic Service Report (April 15, 2003) Greenwald, L., M., Mobley, L. R., Bruhn, M., West, N., Andrews, L., Salib, P., Pope, G. C., Kautter, J. (.pdf 8,421 KB)
• Evaluation of the Medicare-DOD Subvention Demonstration: Final Report (April 2002) Farley. D. O., Harris, K. M., Ashwood, J., Cherry, G. K. (.pdf 881 KB)
• Case Studies of Managed Care Arrangements for Dually Eligible Beneficiaries, September 26, 2003: Walsh, E.G., Greene, A. M., Hoover, S., Khatutsky, G., Layton, C., Richter, E;    Full Report. (.pdf 484KB) or Executive Summary (.pdf 155KB)
• Medicare Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Geographic Service Area Report (April 15, 2003), Greenwald, L. M., Mobley, L. R., Bruhn, M., West, N., Andrews, L. Salib, P. Pope, G. C., Haber, S. , Kautter, J. (.pdf 8,699KB)
• Sub-Zero Plan Evaluation - (Sept. 2003)
• Report to Congress on Evaluation Results for the Social/Health Maintenance Organization II Demonstration, (2002) Thompson, T. G. (.pdf 474 KB)
• Evaluation Results for ESRD Managed Care Demonstration--Report to Congress, (2002) Thompson, T. G.
(.pdf 614 KB)
• Final Report of the Evaluation of CMS's ESRD Managed Care Demonstration
  (June 2000) Dykstra, D.; Shapiro, J. R.; Oppenheimer, C. C.; Gaylin, D. S.; Beronja, N.; Phifer, T. B.; McCullough, K.; Bragg-Gresham, J. L.; Rubin, R. J.; Held, P. J (.pdf 1,255 KB)
• Diagnostic Cost Group Hierarchial Condition Category Models for Medicare Risk Adjustment (Final Report); December 2000 (.pdf 770 KB)
• Report to Congress: Proposed Method of Incorporating Health Status Risk Adjusters into Medicare+Choice Payments (.pdf 492 KB)

Theme 3: Improving Fee-For-Service Payment and Delivery

• Investigation of Increasing Rates of Hospitalization for Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions Among Medicare Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries--Final Report (June 2004) McCall, N. T., Brody, E., Mobley, L., Subramanian, S. (.pdf 574 KB)
• Medicare Rural Payment Issues: Primary Care Services and Geographic Definitions (July 2002) Farley D., Shugarman, L., Taylor, P., Ashwood, J. S. (.pdf 387 KB)
• Trends in Special Medicare Payments and Service Utilization for Rural Areas Farley D., Shugarman, L., Taylor, P., in the 1990s ( June 2002) Farley D., Shugarman, L., Taylor, P., Inkelas, M., Ashwood S. J., Zeng, F., Harris, K. (.pdf 876 KB)
• Evaluation of the Nursing Home Casemix and Quality Demonstration: This study looks at the effects of the new prospective payment during the demonstration period. (June 28, 2002) Abt Associates Inc. (.pdf 573 KB)
• CDPS-Medicare: The Chronic Illness and Disabilty Payment System Modified to Predict Expenditures for Medicare Beneficiaries (June 24, 2002) Kronick, R.; Gilmer, T. P.; Drefus, T.; Ganiats, T. G. (.pdf 1,771 KB)
  CDPS-Medicare Stage One Groups Arranged by Diagnosic Subcategories (.pdf 431 KB)
• Market Area Selection and Data Development for Medicare Fee-for-Service Reform--Final Report (December 2002) Mobley, L. R., Hoerger, T. J., Greenwald, L. M., Andrews, L., Bruhn, M., Tate, K. C. (.pdf 3,219 KB)
• Second Annual Report to Congress: Evaluation of Medicare's Competitive Bidding Demonstration for Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (September 2002) Office of Research, Development, and Information (.pdf 191 KB)
  You will find the First Annual Report to Congress available through this link.
• Evaluation of Medicare's Competitive Bidding Demonstration for DMEPOS--Second-Year Annual Evaluation Report (April 2002) Karon, S.; Jewell, K.; Hoerger, T.; Bernard, S.; Finkelstein, E.; Lindrooth, R.; Waters, T. (.pdf 2,573 KB)
• Long Term Care Project (July 2002)


• The Final Evaluation Report on the National Home Health Prospective Payment Demonstration: Agencies Reduce Visits While Preserving Quality; April 2001 (.pdf 343 KB)


• First Annual Report to Congress: Evaluation of Medicare's Competitive Bidding Demonstration for Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies; November 2000 
• Evaluation of Medicare's Competitive Bidding Demonstration for DMEPOS -- First-Year Annual Evaluation Report; January 2001   (.pdf 522 KB)


• Medicare Participating Heart Bypass Center Demonstration Extended Evaluation Report; September 1998 (.pdf 95 KB)

Theme 4: Future Trends Influencing Our Programs

• Study of Pharmaceutical Benefit Management; June 2001(.pdf 316 KB)

Theme 5: Strengthening Medicaid, State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), and State Programs

• American Indian/Alaska Native Eligibility and Enrollment in Medicaid, SCHIP, and Medicare--Final Report (December 2003) Langwell, K., Laschober M.,Cox, D., Schur, C., Bell, T., Melman E., Crelia, S. (.pdf 1,494 KB)  
  
• American Indian and Alaska Native Eligibility and Enrollment in Medicaid, SCHIP, and Medicare Summary Case Study Report (December 2003) Langwell, K., Laschober M., Melman E., Crelia, S. (.pdf 1,174 KB)  
  
• American Indian/Alaska Native Eligibility and Enrollment in Medicaid, SCHIP, and Medicare Individual Case Studies for Ten States (December 2003) Langwell, K., Laschober M., Melman E., Crelia, S. (.pdf 4,626 KB)  
  
• American Indian and Alaska Native Eligibility and Enrollment in Medicaid, SCHIP, and Medicare Estimating Eligibility and Enrollment: A Methodological and Data Exploration (December 2003) Langwell, K., Cox, D., Schur, C., Bell, T. (.pdf 961 KB)  
  
• SCHIP's Steady Enrollment Growth Continues: Final Report--Mathematica Policy Research's Report of SCHIP Enrollment up to FFY 2001 (May 2003) Ellwood, M.; Merrill, A.; Conroy, W (.pdf  285 KB)
  
• Evaluation of Vermont's Pharmacy Assistance Programs for Low Income Medicare Beneficiaries; First Round Evaluation, Final Report (February 28, 2003) Gilman, B. H.; Gage, B.; Mitchell, J. B. (.pdf  8,597 KB)
  
• Implementation of the State Children's Insurance Program: Synthesis of State Evaluations. Background for the Report to Congress (March 2003) Rosenbach, M; Ellwood, M.; Irvin, C.; Young, C.; Conroy, W.; Quinn, B.; Kell, M. (.pdf  1,302 KB)
  
• Implementation of the State Children's Insurance Program: Momentum is Increasing After a Modest Start (January 2001) Rosenbach, M; Ellwood, M.; Czajka, J.; Irvin, C.; Coup'e; Quinn,B. (.pdf  2,159 KB)
  
• Evaluation of the BadgerCare Medicaid Demonstration (July 2002) Gibbs, D.A., Gavin, N.I., Siebenaler, K.R., Fan, N.L., Pettibone, K. (.pdf 638 KB)
• Long Term Care Project (July 2002)


• Oregon Evaluation: Second Interim Report June 1998  (.pdf 37 KB)


• Oregon Evaluation: Executive Summary; June 1996 (.pdf 43 KB)

Theme 6: Meeting the Needs of Vulnerable Populations

• Evaluation of Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) and Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) Programs (October 1, 2003), Haber, S. G., Adamache, W., Walsh, E. G., Hoover, S., Bir, A., Caswell, C. (.pdf 925 KB)
• Utilization of Health Care Services Related to Cancer Prevention for Women in the Medicaid Program, February 21, 2002, Final Report (.pdf 201 KB)
• Utilization of Health Care Services Related to Cancer Prevention for Women in the Medicaid Program, January 17, 2001 (.pdf 846 KB)
• Longitudinal Study of Ischemic Heart Disease among Aged Medicare Beneficiaries--Final Report, March 23, 2003 (.pdf 4,756 KB)


• The Impact of PACE on Participants Outcomes; July 1998 (.pdf 254 KB)


• Factors Contributing to Care Management and Decision Making in the PACE Model; April 1998 (.pdf (143 KB)


• Determinants of Enrollment among Applicants to PACE Program; February 1998 (.pdf 163 KB)

Theme 7: Outcomes, Quality and Performance

• Phase II Evaluation of CNO Demonstration Final Report to Congress (January 6, 2003) Pizer, S. D., Schmitz, R. J., Frakt, F. B. (.pdf 1,478 KB)
• Analysis of Medicare Beneficiary Knowledge Data Using the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) Phase 3.2, Final Report (Feb. 21, 2003); Berkman, N. D., Bann, C., Kuo, M., Anderson, W., Bonito, A. (.pdf  496 KB)
  You will find (MCBS) Phase 3.1 available through this link.
  
• Assessing Readiness of Medicare Beneficiaries to Participate in Informed Health Care Choices , Levesque, D., Prochaska, J., Cummins, C. and Evans, J.; Oct. 2000 (.pdf  216 KB)


• National Evaluation of the Medicare & You 2000 Handbook: Final Report (October 2001), McCormack, L., Anderson, W., Daugherty, S., Ross, K., Kuo, M., Scheffler, S, and Garfinkel, S. (.pdf  1,400 KB)


• Focus Group Results from the National Evaulation of Medicare & You 2000 Handbook: Beneficiaries , Roussel, A., Driscol, D., Daugherty, S. and McCormack, L.; February 2001 (.pdf 113 KB)


• Focus Group Results from the National Evaulation of Medicare & You 2000 Handbook: Non- Beneficiary Decision Helpers, Roussel, A., Driscol, D., Daugherty, S. and McCormack, L., February 2001 (.pdf 104 KB)


• Analysis of Baseline Measures in the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey for Use in Monitoring the National Medicare Education Program: Final Phase One Report , Bonito, A., Bann, C., Kuo, M., McCormack, L., Anderson, W, and Garfinkel,S.; Nov. 2000 (.pdf 259 KB)


• Analysis of the 1998 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) for Use in Monitoring the National Medicare Education Program (NMEP): Phase Two Final Report, Anderson, W., McCormack, L, Berkman, N., West, N., Kuo, M., and Garfinkel, S.,; Dec 11, 2000  (.pdf 402 KB)


• Analysis of Medicare Beneficiary Knowledge Data Using the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS)Phase 3.1 , Final Report (July 19, 2002); Berkman, N. D., Bann, C., Kuo, M., Anderson, W., Bonito, A. (.pdf  234 KB)


• Educating New Members of Medicare+Choice Plans about their Health Insurance Options: Does the NMEP Make a Difference?  Sing, M., Stevens, B., Cook, A., Sinclair, M., and Ingels, J.; July 2001 (.pdf  715 KB)


• Characteristics of SCHIP Eligibility and Enrollment Data Systems: Feasibility for Supporting Research on SCHIP, Final Report (June 2002) Merrill, A.,Conroy, W., Quinn, B. (Mathematica Policy Research, Inc.) (.pdf 739 KB)


• Injuries among Medicare Beneficiaries: Expenditures and Beneficiary Characteristics (1997-1999) Garnick, D. Bishop, C. Blom, J. (Brandeis University; Gilden, D. Kubisiak, J.,Lee, A.(Jen Associates Inc.) (.pdf 3,173 KB)


• OASIS and Outcome-Based Quality Improvement in Home Health Care: Research and Demonstration Findings, Policy Implications, and Considerations for Future Change , March 2002; Shaughnessy, P. W., Crisler, K. S., Hittle, D. F., Schlenker, R. E. With: Conway, K. S., West,L. R., Powell, M.C., Richard, A. A.


• The Final Evaluation Report on the National Home Health Prospective Payment Demonstration: Agencies Reduce Visits While Preserving Quality; April 2001 (.pdf  343 KB)

Theme 8: Building Research Capacity

• Development and Psychometric Evaluation of Beneficiary Knowledge Indices from the Medicare Current Beneficary Survey; Bann, C., Berkman, N.; October 2002 final (.pdf  257 KB)


• Development and Psychometric Evaluation of Beneficiary Knowledge Indices from the Medicare Current Beneficary Survey; Bann, C., Berkman, N.; March 2002  (.pdf  412 KB)


• Questionnaire Development and Cognitive Testing Using Item Response Theory (IRT), Uhrig, J. D., Squire, C., McCormack, L.A., Bann C., Hall, P. K., An, C., Bonio, A. J.; February 2002  (.pdf 387 KB)


• Analysis of Medicare Beneficiary Baseline Knowledge Data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS): Knowledge Index Technical Note. Bann, C. Lissey, K., Keller, S, Garfinkel, S., and Bonito, A.; May  2000 (.pdf 307 KB)


• Item Reponse Theory Analysis of the Demonstrated-Knowledge Items from the 1999 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey: Final; December 2001 (.pdf 196 KB)

Demonstration Reports

CMS also conducts demonstration projects to explore alternative policies of health care coverage and delivery. These demonstration projects typically cover a limited timeframe, geographic area, and scope of coverage. Reports on selected current and completed demonstration projects are found at Demonstrations webpage.

Further Information

• Researchers Home Page

Your link to information throughout the CMS website of interest to researchers