Risk Management and Healthcare Policy (May 2016)
The impact of a regional patient-centered medical home initiative on cost of care among commercially insured population in the US
Abstract
Daniel Dukjae Maeng, Joann P Sciandra, Janet F Tomcavage Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA, USAAbstract: The impact of a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) in reducing total cost of care remains a subject of debate, particularly among the non-elderly adult population. This study examines a 6-year experience of a large integrated regional health care delivery system in the US implementing PCMH among its commercially insured population. A regional health plan's claims data from 2008 through 2013 among its commercially insured members were obtained and analyzed. Over the 6-year period, the PCMH implementation beyond the first 6 months of exposure was associated with a lower total cost of care of ~9% (P<0.05). The largest reduction was observed in outpatient costs (12%; P<0.05). This study suggests that PCMH implementation among the non-elderly adult population can potentially lead to cost savings. Future studies are necessary to identify the drivers of the cost savings and examine if similar results can be replicated elsewhere by other health care delivery systems.Keywords: patient-centered medical home, cost of care, commercially insured, non-elderly adults