Journal article
Iowa's Medicaid Healthy Behaviors Program Associated With Reduced Hospital-Based Care But Higher Spending, 2012-17
Health affairs Web exclusive, Vol.39(5), pp.876-883
05/2020
DOI: 10.1377/hlthaff.2019.01145
PMID: 32364851
Abstract
Health behavior incentive programs are increasingly common in Medicaid programs nationwide. Iowa's Healthy Behaviors Program (HBP) requires Medicaid expansion enrollees to complete an annual wellness exam and health risk assessment or pay monthly premiums to avoid disenrollment. The extent to which the program reduces the use of hospital-based care and lowers health care spending is unknown. Using data for 2012-17 from Medicaid and for 2014-17 from HBP, we evaluated changes in use and spending associated with HBP participation. Compared to nonparticipants, HBP participants were less likely to have an emergency department visit or be hospitalized (by 9.6 percentage points and 2.8 percentage points, respectively) but had higher total health care spending ($1,594). Meanwhile, Iowa's Medicaid expansion was associated with increased use and spending independent of HBP participation-that is, applying to both participants and nonparticipants. Overall, our findings suggest that the HBP was associated with substantial reductions in hospital-based care but increased health care spending.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Iowa's Medicaid Healthy Behaviors Program Associated With Reduced Hospital-Based Care But Higher Spending, 2012-17
- Creators
- Brad Wright - Brad Wright ( brad_wright@med. unc. edu ) is an associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine and codirector of the Health Care Economics and Finance Program at the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillYoun Soo Jung - Youn Soo Jung is a research associate at the Public Policy Center, University of Iowa, in Iowa CityNatoshia M Askelson - Natoshia M. Askelson is an assistant professor in the Department of Community and Behavioral Health and a research fellow at the Public Policy Center, University of IowaElizabeth T Momany - Elizabeth T. Momany is a senior research scientist at the Public Policy Center, University of IowaPeter Damiano - Peter Damiano is a professor in the Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, College of Dentistry, and director of the Public Policy Center, University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Health affairs Web exclusive, Vol.39(5), pp.876-883
- DOI
- 10.1377/hlthaff.2019.01145
- PMID
- 32364851
- NLM abbreviation
- Health Aff (Millwood)
- ISSN
- 0278-2715
- eISSN
- 1544-5208
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 05/2020
- Academic Unit
- Preventive and Community Dentistry; Health Management and Policy; Injury Prevention Research Center; Public Policy Center (Archive); Community and Behavioral Health; University College Courses
- Record Identifier
- 9984214670102771
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