The Impact of a Telephone-Based Chronic Disease Management Program on Medical Expenditures.
The impact of a payer-provided telephone-based chronic disease management program on medical expenditures was evaluated using claims data from 126,245 members in employer self-ensured health plans (16,224 with a chronic disease in a group enrolled in the self-management program, 13,509 with a chronic disease in a group not participating in the program). A random effects regression model controlling for retrospective risk, age, sex, and diagnosis with a chronic disease was used to determine the impact of program participation on market-adjusted health care expenditures. Further confirmation of results was obtained by an ordinary least squares model comparing market- and risk-adjusted costs to the length of participation in the program. Participation in the program is associated with an average annual savings of $1157.91 per enrolled member in health care expenditures. Savings increase with the length of participation in the program. The results support the use of telephone-based patient self-management of chronic disease as a cost-effective means to reduce health care expenditures in the working-age population. (Population Health Management 2016;19:156-162).
1 American Health Data Institute , Indianapolis, Indiana.
George
G
Avery
1 American Health Data Institute , Indianapolis, Indiana.
David
D
Cook
1 American Health Data Institute , Indianapolis, Indiana.
Sheila
S
Talens
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D007345:Insurance Claim Review; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013689:Telephone