ACHP Issue Brief Examines Diabetes Care In MA Plans

Main Category: Diabetes
Also Included In: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Article Date: 05 Oct 2006 - 1:00 PDT

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"Quality of Diabetes Care in Medicare Advantage," Alliance of Community Health Plans: The ACHP issue brief examines performance trends in diabetes care for patients in Medicare Advantage plans from 2002 through 2005. The brief looks at six Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set Comprehensive Diabetes Care performance measures to compare overall performance on diabetes care for different Medicare Advantage plans and examine how performance changed during the study period. The study finds that beneficiaries' care improved six percentage points during the study period. According to the brief, measuring and reporting performance have improved diabetes care among Medicare Advantage beneficiaries but have not compensated for low-quality plans. The brief suggest that measures be taken to reduce the quality gap among different plans and to hold low-performing plans accountable, possibly by linking payments and quality (ACHP, September 2006).

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