The effect of a telephone-based health coaching disease management program on Medicaid members with chronic...

Despite the growing popularity of disease management programs for chronic conditions, evidence regarding the effect of these programs has been mixed. In addition, few peer-reviewed studies have examined the effect of these programs on publicly insured populations.

To examine the effect of a telephone-based health coaching disease management program on healthcare utilization and expenditures in Medicaid members with chronic conditions.

Using a difference-in-differences analysis, we examined changes in hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) visits, ambulatory care visits, and Medicaid expenditures among program members for 1 year before and 2 years after their enrollment compared with a matched comparison group.

Medicaid members aged 18 to 64 with a diagnosis of qualifying chronic conditions and 2 acute health service events of hospitalizations and/or ED visits within a 12-month period.

Changes in acute hospitalizations, ambulatory care visits, and Medicaid expenditures before and after program enrollment were similar between the 2 study groups. However, during the second year after enrollment, program members had a significantly smaller decrease in ED visits than the comparisons (8% in program members and 23% in comparisons, P value=0.03).

Compared with a matched comparison group, the telephone-based health coaching disease management program did not demonstrate significant effects on healthcare utilization and expenditures in Medicaid members with chronic conditions.