UVA Neurologist Awarded $231,000 to Study Medicare’s Impact on Stroke Care
Dr. Jonathan R. Crowe, a neurologist at UVA Health, has received a $231,000 Career Development Award from the American Heart Association. The grant will fund research into how different Medicare insurance plans influence stroke care delivery and patient outcomes.
The study will analyze over 12.5 million Medicare claims alongside American Heart Association data.
The research will compare access to critical stroke treatments—such as thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy—between patients enrolled in traditional Medicare and those with Medicare Advantage plans. Investigators will also assess in-hospital mortality rates and post-discharge care settings.
In addition to the quantitative analysis, Crowe plans to conduct interviews with stroke survivors and caregivers. These conversations aim to identify specific barriers that prevent patients from receiving best-practice care.
Previous work by Crowe and his colleagues has already uncovered notable differences between the two insurance types. Medicare Advantage patients demonstrated better access to certain preventive services and experienced faster recovery times. Meanwhile, patients on traditional Medicare received more intensive rehabilitation services. Overall, outcomes were similar for both groups.
Crowe intends for this research to inform federal policy discussions regarding stroke care for Medicare recipients, potentially shaping how millions of Americans access life-saving treatments.