The American journal of managed care
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Observational Study
Experience incentivizing reduction of racial and ethnic disparities in a Medicaid hospital quality incentive program.
We aimed to describe the experience of a state Medicaid agency incentivizing reduction of racial and ethnic disparities in a hospital quality incentive program (QIP). ⋯ Construction of a composite measure, use of a summary disparity statistic, and measure selection are key considerations in the design and interpretation of equity-focused payment programs. This analysis revealed improved aggregate quality performance and a modest reduction in racial and ethnic disparities for measures included in the HD composite for at least 4 years. Further research is needed to evaluate the association between equity-oriented incentives and health disparities.
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Private managed care plans in the Medicare Advantage (MA) program have been gaining market share relative to traditional fee-for-service Medicare (TM), yet there are no obvious structural changes to Medicare that would explain this growth. Our goal is to explain the growth in MA market share during a period when it increased dramatically. ⋯ Overall, we find that MA is becoming more appealing to more educated and nonminority beneficiaries than in the past, although minority and lower-income beneficiaries are still more likely to pick the program. Over time, if preferences continue to shift, the nature of the MA program will change as it moves more toward the middle of the Medicare distribution.
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The share of Medicare stand-alone prescription drug plans with a preferred pharmacy network has grown from less than 9% in 2011 to 98% in 2021. This article assesses the financial incentives that such networks created for unsubsidized and subsidized beneficiaries and their pharmacy switching. ⋯ Preferred networks have important implications for beneficiaries' out-of-pocket spending and the low-income subsidy program. Further research is needed about the impact on the quality of beneficiaries' decision-making and cost savings to fully evaluate preferred networks.
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Commercial accountable care organization (ACO) contracts attempt to mitigate spending growth, but past evaluations have been limited to continuously enrolled ACO members in health maintenance organization (HMO) plans, excluding many members. The objective of this study was to examine the magnitude of turnover and leakage within a commercial ACO. ⋯ Both turnover and leakage hamper the ability of ACOs to manage spending. Modifications that address potentially intrinsic vs avoidable sources of population turnover and increase patient incentives for care within vs outside of ACOs could help address medical spending growth within commercial ACO programs.
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Observational Study
Mental health diagnoses and services utilization vary by wage level.
The relationship between employee wage status and mental health care utilization has not been characterized in large-scale analyses. This study assessed health care utilization and cost patterns for mental health diagnoses according to wage category among employees with health insurance. ⋯ Lower mental health condition prevalence and greater use of high-intensity health care resources highlight the need to more effectively identify and manage mental health conditions among lower-wage workers.