A team of researchers within the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute has received $3.2 million in funding to study how high-deductible health plans and preventive drug lists impact adults and children with asthma.
High-deductible health plans require more out-of-pocket spending by consumers, while preventive drug lists exempt certain chronic medications from deductibles in order to encourage people to take needed medicines. The study will measure how these factors impact medication use and clinical outcomes for asthma patients.
The study is funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), an independent nonprofit that funds healthcare research projects. It will be conducted by a research team at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute’s Department of Population Medicine, a collaboration between Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim, the state’s second-largest commercial health insurer.
“This project was selected … not only for its scientific merit and commitment to engaging patients and other stakeholders, but also for its potential to fill an important gap in our health knowledge and give people information to help them weigh the effectiveness of their care options,” PCORI Executive Director said in a statement on Tuesday.
