title: A new tier of health care management initiatives.
abstract: Some employers spend half their health benefits dollars on outpatient care. Utilization of ambulatory services is up, costs-per-case are escalating fast--with some procedures demonstrably costing 85%-95% of inpatient charges--and providers' profits are increasing. Executives of the Health Data Institute and The Associated Group describe a multi-pronged approached to managing the burgeoning costs of a health care delivery alternative that was supposed to save employers money.
mesh_terms: D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures / Q000191:economics*; D003363:Cost Control / Q000379:methods; D003625:Data Collection; D006761:Hospitals; D007345:Insurance Claim Review; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007359:Insurance, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008329:Managed Care Programs; D014481:United States