Jose Figueroa, MD, MPH
@joefigs.bsky.social
Doctor @BrighamWomens | Associate Prof of Health Policy & Management @HarvardHPM @HarvardHSPH | @harvardmed | Faculty Director of BWH MLP Program
Big picture:
Strong performance on prevention *within* the health care system isn’t enough to protect us if prevention *outside* it remains weak.
Work in collaboration w/ Irene Papanicolas @brownpublichealth.bsky.social, Tania Sawaya, & Sara Bleich @harvardhpm.bsky.social @hsph.harvard.edu
Strong performance on prevention *within* the health care system isn’t enough to protect us if prevention *outside* it remains weak.
Work in collaboration w/ Irene Papanicolas @brownpublichealth.bsky.social, Tania Sawaya, & Sara Bleich @harvardhpm.bsky.social @hsph.harvard.edu
October 28, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Big picture:
Strong performance on prevention *within* the health care system isn’t enough to protect us if prevention *outside* it remains weak.
Work in collaboration w/ Irene Papanicolas @brownpublichealth.bsky.social, Tania Sawaya, & Sara Bleich @harvardhpm.bsky.social @hsph.harvard.edu
Strong performance on prevention *within* the health care system isn’t enough to protect us if prevention *outside* it remains weak.
Work in collaboration w/ Irene Papanicolas @brownpublichealth.bsky.social, Tania Sawaya, & Sara Bleich @harvardhpm.bsky.social @hsph.harvard.edu
3. Public health policies lag far behind — the US has much weaker regulation of food, tobacco, alcohol, and firearms.
At the same time, we eat more calories, have higher obesity prevalence, and more illicit drug/opioid use. This is why Americans are more likely to die prematurely.
At the same time, we eat more calories, have higher obesity prevalence, and more illicit drug/opioid use. This is why Americans are more likely to die prematurely.
firearms.at
October 28, 2025 at 11:29 AM
3. Public health policies lag far behind — the US has much weaker regulation of food, tobacco, alcohol, and firearms.
At the same time, we eat more calories, have higher obesity prevalence, and more illicit drug/opioid use. This is why Americans are more likely to die prematurely.
At the same time, we eat more calories, have higher obesity prevalence, and more illicit drug/opioid use. This is why Americans are more likely to die prematurely.
3 key takeaways:
1. When it comes to performance *within* primary healthcare system, the US actually *performs better* than most countries (e.g., higher screening, vaccinations, and chronic disease management rates).
2. But millions still lack coverage & reliable access to affordable primary care
1. When it comes to performance *within* primary healthcare system, the US actually *performs better* than most countries (e.g., higher screening, vaccinations, and chronic disease management rates).
2. But millions still lack coverage & reliable access to affordable primary care
October 28, 2025 at 11:29 AM
3 key takeaways:
1. When it comes to performance *within* primary healthcare system, the US actually *performs better* than most countries (e.g., higher screening, vaccinations, and chronic disease management rates).
2. But millions still lack coverage & reliable access to affordable primary care
1. When it comes to performance *within* primary healthcare system, the US actually *performs better* than most countries (e.g., higher screening, vaccinations, and chronic disease management rates).
2. But millions still lack coverage & reliable access to affordable primary care
Three key findings:
1. In just 1yr, we saw a ~55% enrollment growth among full-benefit duals and >68% among partial duals into C-SNPs.
2. About 1 in 4 duals in 2025 C-SNPs came from plans w/ some form of integration.
3. About 15% of C-SNPs could be terminated if CMS applied “look-alike” rule
1. In just 1yr, we saw a ~55% enrollment growth among full-benefit duals and >68% among partial duals into C-SNPs.
2. About 1 in 4 duals in 2025 C-SNPs came from plans w/ some form of integration.
3. About 15% of C-SNPs could be terminated if CMS applied “look-alike” rule
September 23, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Three key findings:
1. In just 1yr, we saw a ~55% enrollment growth among full-benefit duals and >68% among partial duals into C-SNPs.
2. About 1 in 4 duals in 2025 C-SNPs came from plans w/ some form of integration.
3. About 15% of C-SNPs could be terminated if CMS applied “look-alike” rule
1. In just 1yr, we saw a ~55% enrollment growth among full-benefit duals and >68% among partial duals into C-SNPs.
2. About 1 in 4 duals in 2025 C-SNPs came from plans w/ some form of integration.
3. About 15% of C-SNPs could be terminated if CMS applied “look-alike” rule
Estimates are based on our recent @nejm.org study showing that loss of subsidized coverage (the Part D Low-Income Subsidy) led to significant increases in mortality among low-income Medicare beneficiaries.
@pennldi.bsky.social @harvardhpm.bsky.social
Link to study: www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
@pennldi.bsky.social @harvardhpm.bsky.social
Link to study: www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Loss of Subsidized Drug Coverage and Mortality among Medicare Beneficiaries | NEJM
A total of 14 million Medicare beneficiaries receive the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS), which reduces cost sharing in Medicare Part D. Losing the LIS may impede medication access and affect mortality. U...
www.nejm.org
May 24, 2025 at 12:38 AM
Estimates are based on our recent @nejm.org study showing that loss of subsidized coverage (the Part D Low-Income Subsidy) led to significant increases in mortality among low-income Medicare beneficiaries.
@pennldi.bsky.social @harvardhpm.bsky.social
Link to study: www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
@pennldi.bsky.social @harvardhpm.bsky.social
Link to study: www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Link to study 1: www.nber.org/papers/w33719
Link to study 2, which is our @nejm.org study led by Eric Roberts: www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Link to study 2, which is our @nejm.org study led by Eric Roberts: www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Loss of Subsidized Drug Coverage and Mortality among Medicare Beneficiaries | NEJM
A total of 14 million Medicare beneficiaries receive the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS), which reduces cost sharing in Medicare Part D. Losing the LIS may impede medication access and affect mortality. U...
www.nejm.org
May 21, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Link to study 1: www.nber.org/papers/w33719
Link to study 2, which is our @nejm.org study led by Eric Roberts: www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Link to study 2, which is our @nejm.org study led by Eric Roberts: www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Taken together, the comprehensive CMS payments MA plans get to care for vets (especially those who get little to no medical care paid by MA) are simply not justified by the “extra” MA supplemental benefits.
Urgent need for VA and CMS to fix this inefficiency to tune of $BILLIONS per year.
Urgent need for VA and CMS to fix this inefficiency to tune of $BILLIONS per year.
May 16, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Taken together, the comprehensive CMS payments MA plans get to care for vets (especially those who get little to no medical care paid by MA) are simply not justified by the “extra” MA supplemental benefits.
Urgent need for VA and CMS to fix this inefficiency to tune of $BILLIONS per year.
Urgent need for VA and CMS to fix this inefficiency to tune of $BILLIONS per year.
Using national survey data, we find:
1. No significant differences in total utilization or spending of dental & vision services between vets in MA vs TM.
2. MA plans only spend ~$82 per veteran enrollee on dental care and ~$6 more on vision aids than what TM vets get.
1. No significant differences in total utilization or spending of dental & vision services between vets in MA vs TM.
2. MA plans only spend ~$82 per veteran enrollee on dental care and ~$6 more on vision aids than what TM vets get.
May 16, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Using national survey data, we find:
1. No significant differences in total utilization or spending of dental & vision services between vets in MA vs TM.
2. MA plans only spend ~$82 per veteran enrollee on dental care and ~$6 more on vision aids than what TM vets get.
1. No significant differences in total utilization or spending of dental & vision services between vets in MA vs TM.
2. MA plans only spend ~$82 per veteran enrollee on dental care and ~$6 more on vision aids than what TM vets get.