Health Care CostsNCT07381049
Effect of Cash Benefits on Health Care Spending
A study testing Cash Benefit and No Cash Benefit in people with Health Care Costs and Health Care Utilization, run by Harvard Medical School (HMS and HSDM) at 3 sites in United States.
Trial summary
During the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Chelsea, Massachusetts held a lottery to allocate monthly cash benefits to its residents. Using data from the Chelsea Eats program, the investigators propose to study the impact of the cash benefit on health care spending. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Health Care Costs, Health Care Utilization
- What is being tested?
- Cash Benefit and No Cash Benefit
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 3,615 participants
- Where
- 3 sitesUnited States
- Study dates
- 27 Jul 2020to Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Resident of Chelsea, Massachusetts
- Household income at or below 30% of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Area Median Income
Who cannot join
- See inclusion criteria
Trial locations and contacts
3 sites in 1 country.
United States3 sites
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109
Brigham and Women's Hospital / Harvard Medical School
Boston, Massachusetts, 02115
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02138
About this study
During the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Chelsea, Massachusetts held a lottery to allocate monthly cash benefits to its residents. Using data from the Chelsea Eats program, the investigators propose to study the impact of the cash benefit on health care spending.
- Conditions
- Health Care Costs, Health Care Utilization
- Being tested
- Cash Benefit, No Cash Benefit
- Medical subject headings
- Patient Acceptance of Health Care
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Cash BenefitOther
Also called Cash Transfer, Debit Card, Guaranteed Income
Spending from the cards was not restricted to food but could be spent on anything and anywhere Visa was accepted. The debit cards were credited with the first payment on November 18th, 2020 and the second payment on December 18th, 2020. The program continued with monthly credits through August 2021.
No Cash BenefitOther
No monthly cash benefit.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment Group | Experimental | Participants in the treatment group received up to $400 per month. Receives: Other: Cash Benefit |
| Control Group | Active comparator | Participants in the control group did not receive monthly cash benefits. Receives: Other: No Cash Benefit |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Health care spending for medical services
Total payments to providers for medical services
Measured: 9 months
Secondary outcomes (3)
Health care spending in acute care setting
Total payments to providers for medical services in the acute care setting
Measured: 9 months
Health care spending in outpatient setting
Total payments to providers for medical services in outpatient setting
Measured: 9 months
Health care spending for prescription drugs
Total payments for prescription services
Measured: 9 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 Feb 2026
- Study start27 Jul 2020
- Primary completion31 Dec 2021
- Study completionDec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Health Care CostsStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 3,615 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Harvard Medical School (HMS and HSDM)
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, University of Michigan, Harvard University
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Sumit Agarwal, Harvard Medical School (HMS and HSDM)
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07381049
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2021P003354
- Status last verified
- Feb 2026
- First submitted
- 23 Jan 2026
- Last updated
- 5 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 5 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effect of Cash Benefits on Health Care Spending
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07381049
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2021P003354
- Conditions
- Health Care Costs, Health Care Utilization
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 3,615 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Harvard Medical School (HMS and HSDM)University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Brigham and Women's Hospital, University of Michigan, Harvard University
- Study start
- 27 Jul 2020 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2021 (actual)
- Study completion
- Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 2 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
During the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Chelsea, Massachusetts held a lottery to allocate monthly cash benefits to its residents. Using data from the Chelsea Eats program, the investigators propose to study the impact of the cash benefit on health care spending.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (care provider, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment Group | Experimental | Other: Cash BenefitParticipants in the treatment group received up to $400 per month. |
| Control Group | Active comparator | Other: No Cash BenefitParticipants in the control group did not receive monthly cash benefits. |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Resident of Chelsea, Massachusetts
- Household income at or below 30% of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Area Median Income
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- See inclusion criteria
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Cash BenefitAlso: Cash Transfer, Debit Card, Guaranteed IncomeSpending from the cards was not restricted to food but could be spent on anything and anywhere Visa was accepted. The debit cards were credited with the first payment on November 18th, 2020 and the second payment on December 18th, 2020. The program continued with monthly credits through August 2021. | Other | Treatment Group |
| No Cash BenefitNo monthly cash benefit. | Other | Control Group |
Primary outcome
Health care spending for medical services
Time frame: 9 months
Total payments to providers for medical services
3 secondary outcomes
Health care spending in acute care setting
Time frame: 9 months
Health care spending in outpatient setting
Time frame: 9 months
Health care spending for prescription drugs
Time frame: 9 months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 5 Feb 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
3 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Cash Benefit and No Cash Benefit in people with Health Care Costs and Health Care Utilization, run by Harvard Medical School (HMS and HSDM) at 3 sites in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 3 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Health care spending for medical services (time frame: 9 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Feb 2026.