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High-deductible insurance: two-year emergency department and hospital use.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Wharam, JF; Landon, BE; Zhang, F; Soumerai, SB; Ross-Degnan, D
Published in: Am J Manag Care
October 1, 2011

OBJECTIVES: To determine the 2-year impact of high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) on high-acuity, expensive medical care. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective pre-post, with propensity score-matched comparison group. METHODS: We studied emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and related expenditures among 15,847 HMO members for 1 year before and up to 2 years after an employer-mandated switch to HDHPs, compared with 15,847 propensity-matched controls who remained in HMOs. Members were aged 1 to 64 years and insured between 2001 and 2008. RESULTS: Emergency department visits among HDHP members declined by 15.0% and 15.7% from baseline to the first and second follow-up years, respectively (95% confidence intervals -21.1% to -8.4% and -24.1% to -6.4%, respectively). Rates of nonemergent visits declined significantly in both years (-19.6% [-28.2% to-9.9%] and -18.1% [-29.8% to -4.4%], respectively), while intermediate-severity visits declined to a lesser degree (-13.4% [-23.0% to -2.5%] in the first and -10.9% [-24.4% to 5.1%] in the second follow-up year). Reductions in emergent visits were not detectable in either the first or second follow-up year (-9.7% [-26.9% to 11.5%] and -15.3% [-36.8% to 13.3%], respectively). Hospitalization rates decreased in the first follow-up year (-22.8% [-33.8% to -10.0%]), but hospitalization and cost reductions were not detectable by the second follow-up year (-11.8% [-27.9% to 7.9%] and 1.9% [-22.2% to 33.4%], respectively). CONCLUSIONS: HDHP members experienced sustained reductions in emergency department visits over 2 years, but reductions in hospital utilization and costs were not apparent by the second year. Longer-term studies that assess deferred utilization and its effects are needed.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Am J Manag Care

EISSN

1936-2692

Publication Date

October 1, 2011

Volume

17

Issue

10

Start / End Page

e410 / e418

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • United States
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Middle Aged
  • Infant
  • Humans
  • Hospitalization
  • Health Policy & Services
  • Health Maintenance Organizations
  • Emergency Service, Hospital
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Wharam, J. F., Landon, B. E., Zhang, F., Soumerai, S. B., & Ross-Degnan, D. (2011). High-deductible insurance: two-year emergency department and hospital use. Am J Manag Care, 17(10), e410–e418.
Wharam, J Frank, Bruce E. Landon, Fang Zhang, Stephen B. Soumerai, and Dennis Ross-Degnan. “High-deductible insurance: two-year emergency department and hospital use.Am J Manag Care 17, no. 10 (October 1, 2011): e410–18.
Wharam JF, Landon BE, Zhang F, Soumerai SB, Ross-Degnan D. High-deductible insurance: two-year emergency department and hospital use. Am J Manag Care. 2011 Oct 1;17(10):e410–8.
Wharam, J. Frank, et al. “High-deductible insurance: two-year emergency department and hospital use.Am J Manag Care, vol. 17, no. 10, Oct. 2011, pp. e410–18.
Wharam JF, Landon BE, Zhang F, Soumerai SB, Ross-Degnan D. High-deductible insurance: two-year emergency department and hospital use. Am J Manag Care. 2011 Oct 1;17(10):e410–e418.

Published In

Am J Manag Care

EISSN

1936-2692

Publication Date

October 1, 2011

Volume

17

Issue

10

Start / End Page

e410 / e418

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • United States
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Middle Aged
  • Infant
  • Humans
  • Hospitalization
  • Health Policy & Services
  • Health Maintenance Organizations
  • Emergency Service, Hospital