Posting date: August 11, 2004

This Article Reprint (PDF) HTML Version Submit a response to this article Comments: View responses Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Comments are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services E-mail this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Personal Archive Download to Citation Manager Reprints & Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Mays, G. P. Articles by White, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Mays, G. P. Articles by White, J. Related Collections Health Reform Managed Care Business Of Health Health Spending Consumer Issues

Health Affairs, 10.1377/hlthaff.w4.427
Copyright © 2004 by Project HOPE

Web Exclusives

MarketWatch: Managed Care Rebound? Recent Changes In Health Plans’ Cost Containment Strategies

¹ Glen Mays is an associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management, College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.
² Gary Claxton is vice president of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington, D.C.
³ Justin White is a research assistant at Mathematica Policy Research, also in Washington.

^*Corresponding author.

Abstract

Large increases in health care costs combined with an economic slowdown have created pressures for health plans and employers to reconsider cost containment strategies that were scaled back after the managed care backlash. In this paper we examine how plans’ approaches to cost containment and care management have evolved since 2001. Plans reintroduced and refocused some utilization management techniques during 2002 and 2003 while continuing to invest in disease and case management. Some also began to experiment with new variants of managed care, including tiered provider networks and incentive-based provider payments. However, few respondents believed that these strategies alone would greatly reduce future costs.

Key Words: Business Of Health, Consumer Issues, Health Reform, Health Spending, Managed Care

                      What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. B. Christianson, P. B. Ginsburg, and D. A. Draper The Transition From Managed Care To Consumerism: A Community-Level Status Report Health Aff., September 1, 2008; 27(5): 1362 - 1370. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. A. Berenson From Politics To Policy: A New Payment Approach In Medicare Advantage Health Aff., March 1, 2008; 27(2): w156 - w164. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. P. Mays, M. Au, and G. Claxton Convergence And Dissonance: Evolution In Private-Sector Approaches To Disease Management And Care Coordination Health Aff., November 1, 2007; 26(6): 1683 - 1691. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Comments: