Project Grant R01MD021301

The National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities awarded Trustees of Indiana University (Indiana University Indianapolis) $833,155 on September 1, 2026, under the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research program (CFDA 93.307) to assess how Medicare Advantage enrollment and plan characteristics intersect with patient and community factors to influence progress toward kidney transplantation among adults with end-stage kidney disease. The research uses an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design to examine transplant care pathway steps—referral, evaluation, and waitlisting—particularly among rural and socially vulnerable populations. Prior work by the research team documented that Medicare Advantage enrollees experience 18–24 percent lower transplant waitlisting rates than Traditional Medicare beneficiaries, yet the mechanisms through which Medicare Advantage enrollment affects earlier transplant care steps remain poorly understood. The award supports basic, clinical, social, and behavioral research to reduce health disparities and improve minority health outcomes. Performance occurs in Indianapolis, Indiana, with a period of performance from September 1, 2026, through May 31, 2031.