Project Grant R21AG098802

The National Institute on Aging awarded Weill Medical College of Cornell University $293,899 for a Project Grant (R21AG098802) on September 4, 2026, under the Aging Research program (CFDA 93.866).

The award funds an exploratory research project examining the long-term impacts of hurricanes on primary care provider availability and utilization among Medicare beneficiaries. The research uses difference-in-differences and survival analysis methods applied to over a decade of Medicare claims data and hurricane exposure measures to estimate how hurricanes disrupt primary care delivery and affect healthcare utilization. The project pursues two specific aims: determining the extent and duration of hurricane impact on primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and facility closures in affected communities, and examining hurricane impact on primary care utilization, quality of care, and utilization differences within the Medicare population. The research is designed to establish a scientific foundation for future hypothesis-driven studies and to improve how health systems sustain primary care access following disasters.

Performance of work occurs in New York, New York, with a period running through August 31, 2028. This is a Project Grant, an exploratory mechanism supporting investigator-initiated research in aging and age-related disease.