This report describes trends in the medication therapy management (MTM) programs being conducted by America’s health insurance plans and provides details about 16 companies’ MTM initiatives for a variety of patient populations.
An annual census by America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) of U.S. health insurance carriers shows that the number of people covered by health savings account/high-deductible health plans (HSA/HDHPs) totaled 15.5 million in January 2013. This census does not include coverage associated with health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), which are most commonly offered in the large-group market.
This report presents trends in enrollment in Medicare Supplement (Medigap) insurance coverage, using data on the number of policies in force as of December 2012 from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). The NAIC dataset contains information on most Medigap policies in force in the U.S., representing approximately 10.2 million covered lives, with policies from 262 carriers.
Unadjusted inpatient hospital prices per admission grew by 8.2% per year from 2008 to 2010 for the commercially insured population (under age 65 years) in the MarketScan data set. We estimate that approximately 1.3 to 1.9 percentage points of the growth in prices can be attributed to increased intensity per admission. Thus, we estimate that intensity-adjusted price increases ranged from 6.2% to 6.8% annually in the 2008-2010 period. Price levels and trends varied considerably across admission types, states, and localities.
New data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary
Survey (MCBS) show that Medicare Advantage plans, Medicare’s private
comprehensive health plans, continue to be a vital source of coverage for
low-income and minority beneficiaries in 2011.
In this report—an update to AHIP’s 2005 Innovations in Medicaid Managed Care book—we provide details about 17 health plan initiatives dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Medicaid beneficiaries.
Medigap supplemental coverage has long helped Medicare beneficiaries fill gaps in their benefits. Recently released data from the 2011 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) serve as a reminder of the critical role played by Medigap coverage. The MCBS data show that Medigap is particularly important to low- and moderate-income beneficiaries, especially those living in rural areas.
In the last several years, AHIP has produced a series of reports highlighting health plans’ innovative programs and tools to drive improvements in patient care.
The Affordable Care Act identified the goal of reducing preventable hospital readmissions as an important national priority. Health insurance plans have been addressing the root causes of readmissions for many years, through patient-centered programs.