Is Quality Free? It Depends

To mark the 30th anniversary of The American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC), each issue in 2025 includes a special feature: reflections from a thought leader on what has changed—and what has not—over the past 3 decades and what’s next for managed care. The August issue features a conversation with Charles N. (Chip) Kahn III, MPH, the president and CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals and a longtime member of the AJMC editorial board.

This article examines the prevalence of pay-for-performance incentives to promote human papillomavirus vaccination and other quality metrics as reported by frontline clinical staff.

Patients who experienced a formulary-related rejection of cariprazine for adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder had significantly higher hospitalization rates than those with approved claims.

Assertive community treatment, a strongly evidence-based practice for delivering care to individuals with schizophrenia and low health care engagement, is applicable to disengaged, medically complex patients.

In Massachusetts’ largest Medicaid accountable care organization (ACO), high-risk care management significantly reduced spending, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations, demonstrating that targeted strategies can manage health care costs amid budget constraints.

Accountable care organization (ACO) participation was associated with an increase in hospitals’ mean market share and with additional market share gains in more concentrated markets.