Aparna Higgins, MA

Although health plan accountable care models have evolved provider readiness, data, analytics, and the use of performance measurement are important components of plan-provider partnerships.

Between 2009 and 2013, for individuals with employer-sponsored insurance, prices for services performed at hospital outpatient departments were higher than in physician offices, and the magnitude of price differential increased over time.

A national survey of health plans shows that price estimator tools available to commercial plan enrollees provide price information for a variety of services at the provider level.

This study shows that health plans use chronic care management programs as standard components of the overall approach to manage the health of their members.