The Impact of a Heart Failure Management Program in a Medicare Advantage Population

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Health Services Research
• Cardiology

Background:

• Heart failure (HF) is a leading chronic disease in older adults, contributing to high healthcare costs and impacting patient outcomes.
• The aging population and prevalence of comorbidities exacerbate the challenges associated with HF management.
• Effective disease management programs are crucial for mitigating the economic and clinical burden of HF.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare medical expenditures between engaged and non-engaged members in a HF management program.
• To evaluate the impact of program engagement and remote weight monitoring on acute inpatient admissions and length of stay.
• To assess the financial and health-related outcomes of a HF management program for older adults.

Main Methods:

• Utilized generalized linear modeling to compare outcomes between engaged participants and a propensity-matched cohort of non-engaged individuals.
• Analyzed post-engagement acute inpatient medical service utilization and all-cause per-member-per-month medical expenses.
• Examined length of stay and time to first post-engagement acute inpatient admission.

Main Results:

• Engagement in the HF management program, particularly with remote weight monitoring, was associated with a reduced risk of acute inpatient admission.
• Participants in the program experienced lower all-cause medical expenditures compared to the non-engaged cohort.
• The study indicated potential improvements in health-related and financial outcomes for older adults in the program.

Conclusions:

• Clinically based HF management programs, enhanced by remote monitoring, show promise in improving both patient health and financial outcomes.
• Further development and evaluation of disease management strategies are needed to maximize their effectiveness.
• Optimizing HF management programs can lead to better patient care and reduced healthcare system costs.