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Managed Care Health Plan (managed + care_health_plan)
Selected AbstractsHealth Risk Behavior of Rural Low-Income Expectant FathersPUBLIC HEALTH NURSING, Issue 4 2006Kevin D. Everett ABSTRACT Objectives: To assess expectant fathers' health risk behaviors and attitudes about pregnancy-related health issues. Pregnancy may be viewed as a teachable moment: a time when women are receptive to health advice and take action to improve their health and the health of their babies. Pregnancy may also be a teachable moment for expectant fathers, although men's behaviors are rarely considered as part of prenatal care or in associated research. Design: Cross-sectional prevalence study. Sample: Rural low-income expectant fathers (N=138) whose pregnant partners had enrolled in a Medicaid managed care health plan. Measurement: A telephone survey measuring five health risk behaviors, sociodemographic variables, and pregnancy- and behavior change-related attitudes. Results: Analyses found the following: 49.3% smoked cigarettes; 30.4% engaged in hazardous drinking in the past month; 27.5% had very low physical activity levels; 94.9% had at-risk fruit/vegetable intake; and 42% had weight-related health risk (25.4% met body mass index [BMI] criteria for obesity). Further, 47.9% of the men engaged in three or more of five assessed health risk behaviors. Conclusions: This sample of expectant fathers engages in high rates of health risk behaviors. Failure to address the health risk behavior of men during prenatal care represents a missed opportunity to improve paternal, maternal, and family health. [source] Effect of Managed Care Enrollment on Primary and Repeat Cesarean Rates Among U.S. Department of Defense Health Care Beneficiaries in Military and Civilian Hospitals Worldwide, 1999,2002BIRTH, Issue 4 2004Andrea Linton MS However, little conclusive evidence exists to support this solution. We undertook a study of the Department of Defense health care beneficiary population to assess the impact of enrollment in TRICARE Prime, the Department's managed care health plan, on cesarean delivery rates. Methods: Pooled hospital discharge records from 1999,2002 for live, singleton births were analyzed to calculate primary and repeat cesarean rates for TRICARE Prime and non-Prime beneficiaries in the military and civilian hospitals that comprise the Department of Defense health care network. Stepwise logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios for clinical indicators for each combination of health plan and hospital setting using the,2difference(p < 0.05)to eliminate nonsignificant variables from the model. Total primary and repeat cesarean rates were compared with primary and repeat cesarean rates for women with no reported clinical complications to account for differences in case mix across subgroups. Statistical significance of the differences calculated for subgroups was assessed using,2. Results: Primary cesarean rates were significantly lower for TRICARE Prime enrollees relative to non-Prime beneficiaries for all race subgroups and three of five age subgroups in military hospitals and four of five age subgroups in civilian hospitals. No significant differences in repeat cesarean rates were observed between Prime and non-Prime beneficiaries within any race or age subgroup. Breech presentation followed by dystocia, fetal distress, and other complications were significant predictors for primary cesarean. Previous cesarean delivery was the leading predictor for repeat cesarean delivery. Primary and repeat cesarean rates observed for military hospitals were consistently lower than rates observed for civilian hospitals within each health plan type and age group. Conclusions: Enrollment in the managed care health plan was significantly associated with lower risk of primary cesarean delivery relative to membership in other health plans offered to Department of Defense health care beneficiaries. Repeat cesarean rates in this population varied independently of health plan type. Primary cesarean delivery was generally associated with clinical complications, whereas previous cesarean delivery was the strongest indictor for a repeat cesarean delivery. A clear explanation of reduced cesarean rates for Prime enrollees remains elusive, but it is likely that factors beyond individual practitioner decision-making were at work. [source] Predictors of colorectal cancer screening from patients enrolled in a managed care health plan,CANCER, Issue 6 2008Melissa M. Farmer PhD Abstract BACKGROUND Despite the growing recognition of the importance of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in reducing cancer mortality, national screening rates are low, indicating a critical need to understand the barriers and remedies for underutilization of CRC screening tests. METHODS Using results from independent cross-sectional telephone surveys with patients aged ,50 years performed before (2000; n = 498) and after (2003; n = 482) a quality improvement intervention for CRC screening within a large managed care health plan, the trends and predictors of CRC screening with fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and/or endoscopy (flexible sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy) were examined from a patient perspective. RESULTS In 2000, patient reported screening rates within guidelines were 38% for any test, 23% for endoscopy, and 22% for FOBT. In 2003, screening rates increased to 50% for any test, 39% for endoscopy, and 24% for FOBT. Having discussed CRC with a doctor significantly increased the odds of being screened (FOBT: odds ratio [OR], 2.09 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.47,2.96]; endoscopy: OR, 2.33 [95% CI, 1.67,3.26]; and any test: OR, 2.86 [95% CI, 2.06,3.96]), and reporting barriers to CRC in general decreased the odds of being screened (FOBT: OR, 0.76 [95% CI, 0.60,0.95]; endoscopy: OR, 0.74 [95% CI, 0.60,0.92]; and any test: OR, 0.66 [95% CI, 0.54,0.80]). CONCLUSIONS Although screening rates increased over the 3-year period, evidence was found of ongoing underutilization of CRC screening. The 2 strongest determinants of obtaining CRC screening were provider influence and patient barriers related to CRC screening in general, pointing to the need for multilevel interventions that target both the provider and patient. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society. [source] Practice Characteristics and HMO Enrollee Satisfaction with Specialty Care: An Analysis of Patients with Glaucoma and Diabetic RetinopathyHEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, Issue 4 2003José J. Escarce Background. The specialist's role in caring for managed care patients is likely to grow. Thus, assessing the correlates of patient satisfaction with specialty care is essential. Objective. To examine the association between characteristics of eye care practices and satisfaction with eye care among working age patients with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) or diabetic retinopathy (DR). Subjects/Study Setting. A total of 913 working age patients with OAG or DR enrolled in six commercial managed care health plans. The patients were treated in 144 different eye care practices. Study Design. We used a patient survey to obtain information on patient characteristics and satisfaction with eye care, measured by scores on satisfaction subscales of the 18-item Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire. We used a survey of eye care practices to obtain information on practice characteristics, including provider specialties, practice organization, financial features, and utilization and quality management systems. We estimated logistic regression models to assess the association of patient and practice characteristics with high levels of patient satisfaction. Principal Findings. Treatment in a practice with a glaucoma specialist (for OAG patients) or a retina specialist (for DR patients) was associated with higher satisfaction, whereas treatment in a practice that obtained a high proportion of its revenues from capitation payments or in a group practice where providers obtained a high proportion of their incomes from bonuses was associated with lower satisfaction. Conclusions. Many eye care patients prefer to be treated by specialists with expertise in their conditions. Financial arrangement features of eye care practices also are associated with patient satisfaction with care. The most likely mechanisms underlying these associations are effects on provider behavior and satisfaction, which in turn influence patient satisfaction. Managed care plans and provider groups should aim to minimize the negative impact of managed care features on patient satisfaction. [source] | ||||||||||