us health plans seek to engage more members in dm

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 453 - 22 May 2004 US health plans seek to engage more members in DM US health plans are "increasingly turning to disease management (DM) programs and other strategies that shift more financial and care management responsibilities to consumers", according to an editorial in Disease Management News. The new strategies are being pursued by plans in collaboration with employers anxious to remain on top of rapidly rising premiums while "continuing to respond to employee demands for less restrictive managed care practices", says the editorial. These findings are the results of an analysis recently conducted by US researchers, which revealed that health plans are escalating care management for the small proportion of members who use a "disproportionate share of resources", notes the editorial. Financial incentives, such as premium breaks or more targeted cost sharing, are also being offered by some plans for members who participate in DM programmes, contends the editorial. However, even with such incentives it remains to be seen whether consumers will "embrace greater financial and care management responsibility as a fair trade-off for fewer restrictions on access to care", the editorial states. Health plans embracing DM to target high-cost patients. Disease Management News 9: 3 & 5, No. 11, 10 Apr 2004 800943781 1 PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 22 May 2004 No. 453 1173-5503/10/0453-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved

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Page 1: US health plans seek to engage more members in DM

PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 453 - 22 May 2004

US health plans seek to engagemore members in DM

US health plans are "increasingly turning to diseasemanagement (DM) programs and other strategies thatshift more financial and care managementresponsibilities to consumers", according to an editorialin Disease Management News. The new strategies arebeing pursued by plans in collaboration with employersanxious to remain on top of rapidly rising premiumswhile "continuing to respond to employee demands forless restrictive managed care practices", says theeditorial.

These findings are the results of an analysis recentlyconducted by US researchers, which revealed thathealth plans are escalating care management for thesmall proportion of members who use a"disproportionate share of resources", notes the editorial.Financial incentives, such as premium breaks or moretargeted cost sharing, are also being offered by someplans for members who participate in DM programmes,contends the editorial. However, even with suchincentives it remains to be seen whether consumers will"embrace greater financial and care managementresponsibility as a fair trade-off for fewer restrictions onaccess to care", the editorial states.Health plans embracing DM to target high-cost patients. Disease ManagementNews 9: 3 & 5, No. 11, 10 Apr 2004 800943781

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PharmacoEconomics & Outcomes News 22 May 2004 No. 4531173-5503/10/0453-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved