Are Health Homes Working? The Payer Perspective
OPEN MINDS Daily Executive BriefingÌý|ÌýMonica E. OssÌý June 26, 2014
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Lots of state Medicaid plans have moved ahead with health homes.ÌýCurrently health homes are active inÌý27 statesÌýwithÌýover one million enrollees (seeÌý).ÌýLots of activity.ÌýLots of spending. The big question – are health homes working?
I had a chance to get an update on the longest-running health home initiatives – from the Medicaid payer perspective – at the 2014ÌýOPEN MINDSPlanning & Innovation Institute (seeÌý).ÌýDorn Schuffman, Senior Consultant & Coordinator Primary/Behavioral Health Care Integration Unit, Missouri Department Of Mental Health, and Paul A. Choquette, M.A., Senior Healthcare Delivery Systems Specialist, Xerox State Healthcare, Rhode Island Executive Office Of Health & Human Services, provided an update on the performance of health homes in those two states.
Mr. Schuffman noted that in an effort to improve performance via the health home model, theÌýMissouri program uses aÌýpopulation management approach focusingÌýon a broad array of factors such asÌýuse of medications, key metabolic indicators, hospital (and ER) usage, and psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery.ÌýIn his discussion, he called out one key improvement – the increase in prompt follow-up with consumers following hospital discharge.ÌýWhat is the bottom line?Ìý$2.4 million in initial first year savings.
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Providing an update from Rhode Island, Mr. Choquette noted that health home programsÌýin the state have proven to beÌýflexible, with high member satisfaction and high functional outcome measures.Ìý The programs have produced aÌýreduction in hospital spending.Ìý From 2010 through 2013, inpatient and residential expenses have fallen from $22.1 million per year, to $14.8 million per year. And, average length-of-stay (LOS) has fallen from 12.4 days in 2010, to 6.85 days in 2013.
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Ready to start the discussion about both moving to a health home? Check out these resources from theÌýOPEN MINDS Industry Library:
Also, for a deeper dive, make sure to catch the upcoming executive web briefing,ÌýÌýon July 24, at 12:30 p.m. (EST).ÌýThe web briefing features James Schuster, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Community Care Behavioral Health – who leads a health home initiative for consumers with serious mental illnesses in Pennsylvania.Ìý In the web briefing, Dr. Schuster will discussÌýthe key elements in successfully managing aÌýbehaviorally-focused medical home and aÌýreview of the early research medical home effectiveness.
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