Federal Grant Award Summary

Duke University's Office of Research Administration received a $1,532,545 Project Grant award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837), effective June 5, 2026, with completion targeted for February 29, 2028. The research project investigates the effects of income-based health insurance benefit designs on cardiovascular disease (CVD) outcomes and health disparities among working-age adults. Specifically, the study will analyze whether employers' targeted provision of more generous health benefits—such as lower deductibles or free cardioprotective medications—to low-income workers (while offering high-deductible health plans to higher-income employees) improves CVD care quality, patient outcomes, and overall healthcare spending efficiency.

The research leverages a large national health insurance claims database covering approximately 10 million working-age individuals from 2012 through 2027 to evaluate this novel approach to reducing cost-related barriers to care in the private U.S. health system. This project directly addresses the NHLBI's mission to promote prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease through evidence-based research, with particular relevance to reducing health disparities affecting low-income populations who experience disproportionate CVD burden. The findings will provide critical evidence on the feasibility and effectiveness of population-tailored benefit designs as a policy mechanism within employer-sponsored health insurance.