Does Paying Doctors to Provide Chronic Care Management Improve Health for People with Diabetes Who Have Medicare Coverage?

Diabetes is a significant risk factor for severity of COVID-19 symptoms and death from the disease. This project's enhancement will compare outcomes for people with type 2 diabetes who have at least one additional chronic disease and are covered by Medicare. The study team will compare receiving telehealth versus not receiving telehealth, including subgroups that use in-person visits exclusively or do not have any office visits or care during the pandemic. The study will emphasize differences in clinical care coordination and service utilization by race and age for patients infected by COVID-19 and those who were not. Louisiana is an appropriate study environment given the state's high burden of diabetes, the enhanced disparities among African Americans, and its status as one of the earlier epicenters of the pandemic in the United States.