Dobson DaVanzo & Associates, LLC

Dobson DaVanzo & Associates awarded CMS Medicare Part D Data Analysis contract - A key 5-year contract win for this health care consulting firm. ==>> https://lnkd.in/eHqicasm Al Dobson Dobson DaVanzo & Associates, LLC Kimberly Rhodes Seung Kim

This November 2024... Dobson | DaVanzo is pleased to announce that the Medicare Patient Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) Demonstration Evaluation Final Report to Congress (RTC) has been published CMS. Under the Demonstration, Medicare provided a bundled payment for the services and items involved with in-home IVIG therapy for the treatment of beneficiaries with primary immune deficiency disorders (PIDD). Our analyses found that access to in-home IVIG therapy and beneficiary health improved under the Demonstration, a reduced likelihood of missed or postponed therapies, and fewer infection-related medical services due to more regular and predictable therapy regimens. Overall, CMS paid over $40 million for items and services related to the in-home administration of IVIG for the 3,783 beneficiaries who used the benefit at least once as of December 31, 2023.   In December 2022, Congress passed legislation making in-home IVIG therapy a permanent Medicare benefit starting January 1, 2024, marking a significant step forward for beneficiaries with PIDD accessing needed care. Dobson | DaVanzo is honored to have supported this transformative effort through comprehensive analyses and reporting to CMS, culminating in the Final Report to Congress. Dobson | DaVanzo was also honored to speak at the National Association of Long Term Hospitals (NALTH) Fall 2024 Leadership Conference, discussing trends in Medicare post-acute care, findings from a Dobson | DaVanzo analysis of Medicare Advantage (MA) data, and potential impacts on LTCHs related to the Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM). Dobson | DaVanzo values the opportunity to connect with this unique group of providers and to support them with data and policy analyses as the healthcare industry continues to experience volatility and change. We are also happy to announce the hiring of a new Research Analyst, Mia Taylor, MPH. Mia holds a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts in Health and Society from the University of Vermont. In her previous roles as a Research Fellow at Boston University and as a Program Assistant at the New England Public Health Training Center, Mia gained valuable experience in public health research and project coordination. We are thrilled that Mia has joined our team and are confident that her skills and expertise will contribute to the success of our organization. Subscribe to learn more and keep up to date with our happenings! https://lnkd.in/e5raZrpy

Rural hospitals are lifelines, providing critical health care and economic support to rural communities. Yet, many face the risk of closure, threatening access to care for millions.   A recent study from Dobson DaVanzo & Associates, LLC underscores how hospital integration can be a game-changer for struggling rural facilities. Nearly half of high-risk rural hospitals moved out of the high-risk category after integration.   https://lnkd.in/eF8UwzVF  

Rural hospitals have long faced financial struggles with 16% of all rural hospitals considered at immediate risk of closure. Chief Healthcare Executive highlights a new report by Dobson DaVanzo & Associates, LLC showing a potential path forward: partnerships with larger systems. Read more to see how hospital integration has proven to be a lifeline for rural hospitals – and patients - in need.   https://lnkd.in/e5qViqht

This September 2024... Dobson | DaVanzo recently partnered with a client to assess the impacts of the CY 2025 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) Proposed Rule payments to Home Health Agencies (HHAs). The team also examined trends in access to home health services by Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) beneficiaries under the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) that was implemented in 2020. Using OASIS-LDS files, Dobson | DaVanzo modeled projected changes in Medicare payments between 2024 and 2025 for each agency, state, and by urban or rural agency location, as well as the projected changes in the average wage index and projected changes in case mix due to the case mix recalibration. Our analysis showed that despite projected aggregate payment reductions of 1.7 percent across all agencies, there was significant variation in agency-level impacts, ranging between -5.2% (95th percentile) to 3.2% (5th percentile). Please reach out to our team if you have any questions or are interested in conducting research using on the Medicare Home Health benefit using FFS or Medicare Advantage claims data. Additionally, as CMS continues to focus on social determinants of health (SDOH), including exploring ways to incorporate SDOH data into Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) models, Dobson | DaVanzo has explored ways to utilize SDOH data to advocate for policies that improve equitable health access and outcomes. Recently, Dobson | DaVanzo was tasked with highlighting SDOH and health outcome disparities for the Appalachia region. To do this, our team constructed a socioeconomic and health outcomes index - the Community Determinant Index (CDI) - at the county level for the United States. We then utilized our 100% Medicare claims data file to calculate a CDI score for each hospital based on where the beneficiaries live. Our work helped highlight that some Appalachian providers are treating those with higher need and likely need increased payments to better support and address the health of their population. Subscribe to learn more and keep up to date with our happenings! https://lnkd.in/e5raZrpy

This June 2024... Dobson | DaVanzo is pleased to announce our largest contract with CMS to date as we were recently awarded the Medicare Part D Payment Process contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) under our General Services Administration (GSA) Multiple Award Schedule (MAS). Activities under this contract have two main objectives: maintaining the integrity of prescription drug event (PDE) data and supporting Part D payment processes, including analyzing key inputs to the annual Part D payment reconciliation, while ensuring the smooth implementation of Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) changes that impact these areas. Together with our subcontractor Acumen, LLC, we look forward to supporting CMS in this important work! We also are happy to announce that, in addition to the most current 100% Medicare Fee-for-Service Research Identifiable Files, Dobson | DaVanzo’s access to the latest available (2022 preliminary) Medicare Advantage Encounter and Medicaid TAF data was recently approved by CMS. Further, our access to the latest (2022) post-acute assessment data (MDS, OASIS, and IRF-PAI) was also approved. Finally, we would like to welcome our newest intern, Eric Parrilla! Eric is a rising second-year undergraduate attending The University of Chicago currently majoring in Public Policy Studies and Economics. Eric brings policy research experience from his work as a student journalist and a fellow for a local school board member in Miami-Dade County. Eric aims to continue supporting economic policy analyses as he moves forward in his career, either in the federal government or in the private sector. Subscribe to learn more and keep up to date with our happenings! https://lnkd.in/e5raZrpy

This May 2024... Dobson | DaVanzo is pleased to announce that we were recently awarded the Medicare Part D Claims Analyses contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This project supports CMS in managing and providing oversight of the Part D benefit through a variety of analyses that assess the program, its impact on the health outcomes of beneficiaries, and the implications of future policy changes. Together with our subcontractor, Acumen, LLC, we look forward to supporting CMS in this important work through our analyses that monitor and measure the compliance of Medicare Part D sponsors with federal regulations. We also are proud to announce a recently published study in The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Journal, entitled, "Controlled CMS Data Demonstrates a Cost and Clinical Advantage for Hyperbaric Oxygen and Radiation Cystitis." Recent advances in radiation therapy have led to dramatic increases in cancer survivorship over recent decades, creating a larger population at risk for delayed complications stemming from radiation treatments, such as radiation cystitis. Dobson | DaVanzo, in conjunction with Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS), assessed the clinical outcomes and cost effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBO2) for radiation cystitis compared to conventional care. Among findings, D|D identified that treatment group beneficiaries had almost $11,548 lower total Medicare spending due to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy relative to the comparison group, representing a 37% reduction in spending over the first year post-HBO2 relative to average spending in the pre-period. Full study found here: https://lnkd.in/edbh_vrU Subscribe to learn more and keep up to date with our happenings! https://lnkd.in/e5raZrpy

Dobson | DaVanzo is Excited to Celebrate its 17 Year Anniversary! "An organization, no matter how well designed, is only as good as the people who live and work in it." We have proved that to be true yet again, navigating as a team throughout one of the most difficult years ever. We remember Joan at this time, and carry on in her memory. Congratulations to Al and the entire Dobson DaVanzo & Associates, LLC staff on 17 successful years!

This woman-owned small business healthcare economics and policy consulting firm won a 5-year task order in support of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. ==>> https://lnkd.in/ephKzs-8 Dobson DaVanzo & Associates, LLC | Al Dobson | Joan DaVanzo