#CW126882: University Collaboration Agreement Between Health Care Service Corporation and Northwestern University

This project is a collaboration between HCSC and NU as part of HCSC's Collaborative Research Initiative. In this study, we investigate factors driving healthcare and healthcare spending variation for privately insured claimants. The current literature provides evidence of large geographic variations in healthcare and healthcare spending for Medicare fee-for-service patients. These variations are generally not associated with patient outcomes, suggesting waste and inefficiencies. In this study, we will assess geographic variations in care patterns, care intensity, pricing, overall spending, and outcomes for privately insured Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC) members; no prior study examines variation in any of these areas in the privately insured population across multiple states. This first stage of our study will assess risk- and demography-adjusted variations in per beneficiary spending and spending trends across geographic areas within HCSC states. In addition to the objectives above, findings my provide a proof of concept for future, condition- or procedure-specific follow-up studies. The public health implications of the study are consistent with HCSC's mission of helping their members and communities to be healthy and well.