Author Archives: Lisa Lines, Katya Fonkych, & Diana Zabala

About Lisa Lines, Katya Fonkych, & Diana Zabala

Katya Fonkych, PhD is a research economist at RTI International, an independent, non-profit research institute. Her current work involves design, implementation and research of alternative payment models on behalf of Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Her previous research focused on provider markets, healthcare pricing, utilization and costs. She received her PhD in Policy Analysis from RAND Graduate School. Views expressed are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of RTI.

Monitoring EMS data for substance use

By | May 12, 2021
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The United States is currently experiencing multiple, simultaneous epidemics that claim thousands of lives every week. According to the CDC, over 81,000 drug overdose deaths occurred between June 2019 and May 2020. That’s the highest number of overdose deaths ever recorded in a 12-month period. An estimated 93,000 Americans die annually from alcohol-related causes. Many… Read More »

Are DRG-based Reimbursements Appropriate for COVID-19?

By | August 7, 2020
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Current healthcare reimbursements may create incentives for excess use of ventilators to treat COVID-19 patients. Recent research has shown that healthcare providers, including hospitals, have experienced substantial financial losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alternative, less-invasive treatments for critically ill COVID-19 patients could potentially improve patient outcomes. But these approaches expose hospitals to… Read More »