Reports on Medical Devices and Surgical Technology Findings from University of Michigan Medical School Provide New Insights (Disparities in surgical outcomes in Medicare Advantage vs traditional Medicare): Medical Devices and Surgical Technology

2026 JUN 09 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Research findings on Medical Devices and Surgical Technology are discussed in a new report. According to news reporting originating in Ann Arbor, Michigan, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “To evaluate differences in disparities in surgical outcomes between beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) vs traditional Medicare ™. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of Medicare beneficiaries 65 years and older undergoing common abdominal operations (appendectomy, cholecystectomy, colectomy, hernia repair) between 2016 and 2020.”

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from the University of Michigan Medical School, “The primary exposures were enrollment in MA and race/ethnicity. We performed propensity score-weighted difference-in-disparities analyses comparing Black-White and Hispanic-White disparities in MA vs TM for in-hospital mortality and 30-day mortality, complications, serious complications, and readmissions. Overall, 1,603,887 Medicare beneficiaries were included in the study, of whom 35% were enrolled in MA. Enrollment in MA was associated with no differences in Black-White disparities in postoperative mortality or complications. Hispanic-White disparities in 30-day mortality were 0.83 percentage points smaller (95% CI, -1.41 to -0.25; P = .01) and in postoperative complications were 1.24 percentage points smaller (95% CI, -2.16 to -0.32; P = .01) for MA beneficiaries compared with TM beneficiaries. There were no differences in disparities between MA and TM for readmissions. MA was associated with no differences in Black-White disparities, smaller Hispanic-White disparities in postoperative mortality and complications, and no differences in readmissions. These findings may reflect potential features of MA that narrow gaps in surgical disparities but not uniformly.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “Future work should examine mechanisms that could impact perioperative outcomes for racial/ethnic minorities, including referral networks, care management, or cost sharing.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Disparities in surgical outcomes in Medicare Advantage vs traditional Medicare. The American Journal of Managed Care, 2026;32(5). The American Journal of Managed Care can be contacted at: Managed Care & Healthcare Communications Llc, 666 Plainsboro Rd, Ste 300, Plainsboro, NJ 08536, USA.

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Nick Kunnath, Center for Health Outcomes and Policy and Dept. of Surgery, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI. Additional authors for this research include Erin E. Isenberg, Andrew M. Ibrahim and Renuka Tipirneni.

The publisher of the The American Journal of Managed Care can be contacted at: Managed Care & Healthcare Communications Llc, 666 Plainsboro Rd, Ste 300, Plainsboro, NJ 08536, USA.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)