Association Between Fixed-Dose Combination Use and Medication Adherence, Health Care Utilization, and Costs Among Medicaid Beneficiaries
Main finding · Medication adherence (MPR)Result — go to the resultDifference in MPR 3.17 95% CI 2.79–3.55Authors' conclusion
Combination-pill therapy could improve hypertension management and save costs for the Medicaid program and beneficiaries. However, persistent racial and ethnic differences in adherence highlight the need for tailored interventions.
Study context
- Population
- Adults aged 18 to 64 years with hypertension, continuously enrolled 1 year before and after a random index date of prescription, 2017–2021 Merative MarketScan Medicaid database
- Exposure
- Combination-pill therapy vs multi-pill therapy
- Outcome
- Medication adherence (MPR)
Methodological detailspropensity score overlap weighting
- Propensity score overlap weighting
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Difference in MPR
3.17
95% CI 2.79–3.55
Combination-pill therapyvs multi-pill therapy
difference in MPR 3.17 (95% CI 2.79–3.55)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Hypertension-related emergency department visitsFewer with combination-pill therapy | difference 220 per 1,000 individuals (95% CI −235 to −204) |
| HospitalizationsFewer with combination-pill therapy | difference 153 per 1,000 individuals (95% CI −160 to −146) |
| CostsLower with combination-pill therapy | difference $2,862 per person (95% CI -$3,035 to -$2,689) |
Racial and ethnic differences in medication adherence
- Differences in medication adherence persisted, with non-Hispanic Black adults demonstrating lower adherence than non-Hispanic White adults
Original publication
Association Between Fixed-Dose Combination Use and Medication Adherence, Health Care Utilization, and Costs Among Medicaid Beneficiaries. JACC Adv. Published 21 August 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →