The American journal of managed care
-
To determine the 2-year impact of high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) on high-acuity, expensive medical care. ⋯ HDHP members experienced sustained reductions in emergency department visits over 2 years, but reductions in hospital utilization and costs were not apparent by the second year. Longer-term studies that assess deferred utilization and its effects are needed.
-
To estimate the economic value of screening pregnant women for Staphylococcus aureus carriage before cesarean delivery. ⋯ Despite high rates of cesarean delivery, presurgical screening of pregnant women for S aureus and decolonization of carriers is unlikely to be cost-effective under prevailing epidemiologic circumstances.