Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Objective
To estimate the impact of a new, two-sided risk model accountable care network (ACN) on Washington State employees and their families.Data sources/study setting
Administrative data (January 2013-December 2016) on Washington State employees.Study design
We compared monthly health care utilization, health care intensity as measured through proxy pricing, and annual HEDIS quality metrics between the five intervention counties to 13 comparison counties, analyzed separately by age categories (ages 0-5, 6-18, 19-26, 18-64).Data collection/extraction methods
We used difference-in-difference methods and generalized estimating equations to estimate the effects after 1 year of implementation for adults and children.Principal findings
We estimate a 1-2 percentage point decrease in outpatient hospital visits due to the introduction of ACNs (adults: -1.8, P < .01; age 0-5: -1.2, P = .07; age 6-18: -1.2, P = .06; age 19-26; -1.2, P < .01). We find changes in primary and specialty care office visits; the direction of impact varies by age. Dependents age 19-26 were also responsive with inpatient admissions declines (-0.08 percentage points, P = .02). Despite changes in utilization, there was no evidence of changes in intensity of care and mixed results in the quality measures.Conclusions
Washington's state employee ACN introduction changed health care utilization patterns in the first year but was not as successful in improving quality.
SUBMITTER: Coe NB
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8313948 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Coe Norma B NB Ingraham Bailey B Albertson Elaine E Zhou Lingmei L Wood Suzanne S Grembowski David D Conrad Douglas D
Health services research 20210416 4
<h4>Objective</h4>To estimate the impact of a new, two-sided risk model accountable care network (ACN) on Washington State employees and their families.<h4>Data sources/study setting</h4>Administrative data (January 2013-December 2016) on Washington State employees.<h4>Study design</h4>We compared monthly health care utilization, health care intensity as measured through proxy pricing, and annual HEDIS quality metrics between the five intervention counties to 13 comparison counties, analyzed sep ...[more]