Clinic provision of contraceptive services to managed care enrollees.
BACKGROUND
Since the initiation of managed health care, little information has been available on whether family planning agencies are seeking ways to serve (and obtain reimbursement for serving) the growing number of clients who are managed care enrollees.


METHODS
A 1995 mail survey sought information from a nationally representative sample of publicly funded family planning agencies about the agencies' involvement with managed health care plans and related clinic services, policies and practices. Completed surveys were received from 603 agencies, for an overall response rate of 68%.


RESULTS
One-half of all publicly funded family planning agencies had served known enrollees or managed care plans. One-quarter (24%) had served managed care enrollees under contract, while others sought out-of-plan reimbursement for services provided to enrollees (13%) or used other sources to cover the cost of these services (12%). Family planning clinics administered by hospitals and community health centers were more likely than other types of clinics to have contracts to provide full primary-care services to managed care enrollees, whereas Planned Parenthood affiliates were more likely to have contracts that covered the provision of contraceptive care only. Clinics administered by health departments rarely had secured managed care contracts (10%), and only 36% reported even serving managed care enrollees.


CONCLUSIONS
The challenges presented by managed care, and agencies' responses to these challenges, vary according to the type of organization providing contraceptive care. Family planning agencies need to seek relationships with managed care organizations based on those services that their clinics can best supply.
Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, USA.
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JJ
Frost
D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000145:classification / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003270:Contraceptive Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D003284:Contract Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005378:Financial Support; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010548:Personal Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms; D014481:United States
D003270:Contraceptive Agents