ArticleJournal of general internal medicine2025
Association of Social Vulnerability and Access to Higher Quality Medicare Advantage Plans.
Article in Journal of general internal medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Prior Authorization Requirements in Medicare Advantage and County Social Vulnerability.The American journal of managed care · 2026Article
- Health System Integration and Prior Authorization in Medicare Advantage.Health services research · 2026Article
- Increased Density of Mobile Health Unit Encounters Among Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundWith more than half of all beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, ensuring access to high-quality MA plans is a key concern for policymakers. Access to high-quality MA plans may be limited in certain areas if private insurers are not willing to offer high-quality MA plans in local areas with greater unmet health-related social needs.
objectiveThis study examined the association of a market-level social vulnerability index (SVI) score with the number of high-quality MA plans.
designThis study conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study.
participantsOur analysis included 3113 USA counties in 2020. MAIN MEASURES: Our primary outcome measure, the availability of high-quality MA plans at the market level, was defined by counting the raw number of 5-star plans, plans with 4.5 or higher stars, and plans with 4 or higher stars. We also counted the number of all MA plans at the market level as an outcome measure to explore private insurers' market entry and participation decisions.
resultsWe found evidence that fewer high-quality MA plans are available in markets with greater unmet social needs (higher SVI scores). Compared to the least vulnerable markets, the most vulnerable markets had 1.5 fewer MA plans overall [95%CI -2.9, -0.1]. The most vulnerable markets also had 1.1 fewer 4 or higher star plans [95%CI -1.9, -0.3] than the least vulnerable markets. Furthermore, this negative association was concentrated in the southern region, which has a greater proportion of Black/African Americans in its market-level populations.
conclusionAs historically marginalized groups are more likely to reside in markets with greater unmet social needs, disparities in access to high-quality MA plans may widen existing health disparities. Therefore, monitoring the availability of high-quality MA plans in areas with greater unmet social needs is needed to improve health equity for MA beneficiaries.
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Registered trials
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