Annual trend rates calculated using 2019 and 2020 Q1 – Q4 quarterly claims data from the Medicare Research Identifiable Files.
Spending and beneficiary months for MSSP assignable beneficiaries with at least one E&M visit were calculated at the county level for each Medicare eligibility category (Aged-Non-Dual, Aged-Dual, Disabled, ESRD).
We calculated spending for COVID-19 episodes as defined in the December 2020 MSSP Specifications of Policies to Address the Public Health Emergency for COVID-19.
Spending data for each beneficiary category and year were annualized and truncated based on the approach specified in MSSP Shared Savings and Losses and Assignment Methodology Version #9. We repeated this step for 2020 spending minus COVID-19 expense.
County level spending and beneficiary years were aggregated into core-based statistical areas (CBSAs). Please note that CBSAs that cross state lines may be split into as many as four distinct areas.
We calculated spending per beneficiary year for each eligibility category for each CBSA in 2019 and 2020.
We calculated change in spending per Medicare beneficiary between 2019 and 2020 by eligibility category with and without COVID-19 expenses.
We calculated change in total spending per Medicare beneficiary between 2019 and 2020 holding the percentage of beneficiaries in each eligibility constant within each CBSA.
