DOCSLIB.ORG

Health Cost Containment and Efficiencies NCSL Briefs for State Legislators

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Health Cost Containment and Efficiencies NCSL Briefs for State Legislators Health Cost Containment and Efficiencies NCSL Briefs for State Legislators TABLE OF CONTENTS (Each individual brief in the series is numbered, #1-16 and includes page numbers specific to that brief, four to six page each) Cover Table of Contents Introduction Series I: Payment and Purchasing Reforms (Briefs No. 1-10) 1. Administrative Simplification in the Health System 2. Global Payments to Health Providers 3. Episode-of-Care Payments 4. Collecting Health Data: All-Payer Claims Databases 5. Accountable Care Organizations 6. Performance-Based Health Care Provider Payments 7. Equalizing Health Provider Rates: All-Payer Rate Setting 8. Use of Generic Prescription Drugs and Brand-Name Discounts 9. Prescription Drug Agreements and Volume Purchasing 10. Pooling Public Employee Health Care Series II: Delivery System and Health Promotion Reforms (Briefs No. 11-16) 11. Combating Fraud and Abuse 12. Medical Homes 13. Employer-Sponsored Health Promotion Programs 14. Public Health and Cost Savings 15. Health Care Provider Patient Safety 16. Medical Malpractice Health Cost Containment and Efficiencies NCSL Briefs for State Legislators May 2011 A series examining options for containing or reducing health costs and improving efficiency in health – expanded for 2011 he cost of health and health care in the United States 3. Episode-of-Care Payments for years has been a highly visible topic of discussion 4. Collecting Health Data: All-Payer Claims Databases Tfor consumers, employers, state and federal policy- makers, and the media. 5. Accountable Care Organizations 6. Performance-Based Health Care Provider Payments Innovations and Experiments Policymakers, especially at the state level, have spent a 7. Equalizing Health Provider Rates: All-Payer Rate Setting good deal of time and energy considering—and some- 8. Use of Generic Prescription Drugs and Brand-Name Dis- times passing—laws and budgets aimed at controlling or counts even cutting selected health expenditures. In recent years, 9. Prescription Drug Agreements and Volume Purchasing a variety of health policy innovations and experiments have been put into place to improve quality, control cost 10. Pooling Public Employee Health Care and expand coverage. Many new approaches, already es- tablished in parts of the private, commercial market and in state and public sector programs, promise savings or im- The Topics for Series II: Delivery System and proved affordability. Health Promotion Reforms 11. Combating Fraud and Abuse Some health cost controls have medical consequences; 12. Medical Homes some are obvious and some are unintended. During bud- 13. Employer-Sponsored Health Promotion Programs get crises, for example, health programs may reduce cov- erage, shift costs to enrollees or phase out programs for 14. Public Health and Cost Savings special populations. 15. Health Care Provider Patient Safety Successes and Potential 16. Medical Malpractice This series of briefs takes a fresh approach by describing a number of health cost containment and cost efficiency ideas. Emphasis is on documented and fiscally calculated Federal Health Reform results, along with results that affect budgets, coverage, Several cost containment approaches are included in the fed- quality, prevention and wellness. Each brief describes 1) eral Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, signed into cost containment strategy and logic; 2) the target; 3) rela- law in March 2010. Some federal provisions build upon pro- tion to the federal health reform law; 4) state and non-state grams already used by some states. Other sections of the law examples; 5) evidence of effectiveness; 6) challenges and provide new options, challenges and grant opportunities for complementary approaches and 7) best sources for more states that choose to create a new policy or program in future information. Where the results do not meet the intended years. These examples are described in each brief where ap- goals, these reports present an objective appraisal, say- plicable. ing, for example, “Limited evidence is available ... “ or “It is still too early to determine…” Future Updates and Forthcoming Briefs The latest information and published material for this project The Topics for Series I: Payment is available at www.ncsl.org/?tabid=19200. NCSL will continue and Purchasing Reforms intermittent publications of briefs in this series; new editions 1. Administrative Simplification in the Health System and recent developments will be posted online. 2. Global Payments to Health Providers NCSL takes no position for or against any state law or pro- posed legislation. Materials and descriptions included in these briefs do not constitute the opinion of NCSL, its mem- bers or staff. National Conference of State Legislatures Health Cost Containment and Efficiency Strategies Strategy Cost Containment Strategy Target of Cost Containment Evidence of Effect on Costs and Logic 1. Administrative Streamlining administra- • High health care system Studies are limited and indicate Simplification in the tive functions in the current administrative costs. that efforts to reduce administra- Health System health system (e.g., standard- • Administrative inefficien- tive expenses have resulted in ized forms and processes, cies associated with com- some efficiencies. streamlined claims processing, plex, uncoordinated, often reduced and/or coordinated duplicate regulatory and government regulations, etc.). administrative require- ments. 2. Global Payments to A fixed prepayment made to • Lack of financial incentives Research indicates global pay- Health Providers a group of providers or health for providers to hold down ments can result in lower costs care system (as opposed to a total care costs for a popu- without affecting quality or ac- health care plan) for all care for lation of patients. cess where providers are orga- all conditions for a population • Inefficient, uncoordinated nized and have the data and sys- of patients. care. tems to manage such payments. • Not enough attention to management of chronic conditions. • Prevention and early diag- nosis and treatment. 3. Episode-of-Care A single payment for all care to • Lack of financial incentives Research is limited and shows Payments treat a patient with a specific for providers to manage cost savings for some conditions. illness, condition or medial the total cost of care for an Payment mechanism is at an early event, as opposed to fee-for- episode of illness. stage of development. service. • Inefficient, uncoordinated care. 4. Collecting Health A statewide repository of • Inability to identify and It is too early to determine Data: All-Payer Claims health insurance claims infor- reward high-quality/low- whether all-payer claims databas- Databases mation from all health care cost providers. es can help states control costs. payers, including health insur- • Lack of data to enable ers, government programs and consumers to compare self-insured employer plans. provider prices and care quality. 5. Accountable Care A local entity comprised of a • Lack of a locus of account- Because it is a relatively new con- Organizations (ACOs) wide range of collaborating ability for overall health cept that has not been fully test- providers that is accountable care costs and quality for a ed, there is insufficient evidence to health care payers for the population of patients. to assess the effect on costs. Ex- overall cost and quality of care • Fragmented care. isting evidence is mixed. for a defined population. 6. Performance-Based Payments to providers for • Providers not financially Research is limited and indicates Health Care Provider meeting pre-established rewarded for providing ef- some improvements in quality of Payments (P4P) health status, efficiency and/ ficient, effective preventive care but little effect on costs. or quality benchmarks for a and chronic care. group of patients. • Unnecessary care. 2 National Conference of State Legislatures Strategy Cost Containment Strategy Target of Cost Containment Evidence of Effect on Costs and Logic 7. Equalizing Health Payment rates that are the • High health care prices. Evidence is mixed but indicates Provider Rates: All-Payer same for all patients receiving • Lack of price competition. that, properly structured, state Rate Setting the same service or treatment • Significant provider costs all-payer rate setting can slow from the same provider. Rates to negotiate, track and price increases but not necessar- can be set by a state authority process claims under many ily overall cost growth. or by providers themselves. reimbursement schedules. 8. Use of Generic Buying more generic prescrip- • State government-funded Expanded use of generic drugs Prescription Drugs and tion drugs instead of their pharmaceutical purchas- is documented to save states 30 Brand-Name Discounts brand-name equivalents and ing, including Medicaid, percent to 80 percent on certain purchasing brand-name drugs state-only programs and widely used medications, reduc- with discounts can significant- some private-market phar- ing expenditures by millions of ly reduce overall prescription maceutical purchasing. dollars annually. drug expenditures. 9. Prescription Drug States use combinations of ap- • Helps state government State Medicaid programs are us- Agreements and Volume proaches to control the costs public sector programs ing preferred drug lists, supple- Purchasing of prescription drugs includ- operate more efficiently mental rebates and multi-state ing: and cost effectively. purchasing arrangements
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Health Insurance Coverage for Direct Care Workers: Riding out the Storm
    BetterJobsBetterCare NO. 3 / MARCH 2004 ISSUE BRIEF SYNOPSIS Direct care workers and long-term care employers are facing greater challenges than ever before in securing affordable health coverage. In an era of soaring health insurance premiums and state fiscal crises, the prospects for expanding health coverage for more direct care workers seem daunt- ing. But there are ways to design health insurance packages so that they are reasonably priced for direct care workers and long-term care employers. This issue brief presents the case for improving health cover- age to direct care workers and offers realistic strategies for making health coverage more available and more affordable to them and their families. Health Insurance Coverage for Direct Care Workers: Riding Out the Storm A national program INTRODUCTION 50 percent higher than supported by The Robert Karen Thompson is one of 13,000 home care those in the general popu- Wood Johnson workers in Oregon who until recently worked lation under age 65. Foundation and The without health insurance protection. Earning The prospects for Atlantic Philanthropies $900 a month caring for her disabled husband, increasing health insurance with direction and she made too much money to qualify for the coverage for direct care technical assistance Oregon Health Plan, a state-sponsored health workers may look very dis- couraging right now. provided by the Institute insurance program for low-income people. But Health insurance premium for the Future of Aging her income was also not enough to pay for insurance. rates are soaring, state fis- Services, American Karen Thompson Karen is also recovering from cancer, which cal crises are forcing cuts Association of Homes was detected late due to her lack of health in eligibility for Medicaid and other programs and Services for the insurance, and has medical bills expected to to help the uninsured, employers are scaling Aging, in partnership surpass $100,000.
    [Show full text]
  • The Massachusetts Health Plan: Lessons for the States Nina Owcharenko and Robert E
    No. 1953 July 18, 2006 The Massachusetts Health Plan: Lessons for the States Nina Owcharenko and Robert E. Moffit, Ph.D. State officials can dramatically improve the func- tioning of their state health insurance markets, es- Talking Points tablish portability and personal ownership in health insurance coverage, and make major im- • States should consider both establishing a provements in how they finance health care for the statewide health insurance exchange for health insurance in which individuals can uninsured. Massachusetts, a state with a conserva- choose and own their health care coverage tive Republican governor and liberal Democratic regardless of job change or status and with- legislature, has recently enacted comprehensive out losing favorable tax treatment and health care reform. Not surprisingly, many state of- replacing the current provider-based sub- ficials from around the country are carefully exam- sidy structure for the uninsured with pre- ining the Massachusetts health plan, trying to dis- mium assistance to individuals in need. cern what is applicable to or appropriate for their • States should avoid provisions found in the own states. Massachusetts plan that impose a health The Massachusetts plan, signed into law by Gover- insurance mandate on employers or that nor Mitt Romney, is a complex mixture of specific pol- expand dependence on the already over- icy initiatives aimed at providing residents with “access burdened public health programs such as Medicaid. to affordable, quality, accountable health care.”1 Most notably, the new law: • Moreover, states should be more aggres- sive than Massachusetts in preserving an • Creates a single consumer-driven marketplace for individual’s right to self-insure, in deregu- health insurance for small businesses, their employ- lating their state insurance markets, and in ees, and individuals; opening access to and choice of private •Promotes “defined contributions” rather than the health plans through a statewide health defined benefit system in employer-based health insurance exchange.
    [Show full text]
  • From the Factory to the Frontlines the Operation Warp Speed Strategy for Distributing a COVID-19 Vaccine
    From the Factory to the Frontlines The Operation Warp Speed Strategy for Distributing a COVID-19 Vaccine What This Strategy Aims to Do This report to Congress details a strategy to achieve the principal purpose and objective of Operation Warp Speed (OWS): ensuring that every American who wants to receive a COVID-19 vaccine can receive one, by delivering safe and effective vaccine doses to the American people beginning January 2021. The leadership of OWS has committed to being transparent with Congress, the media, and the American people. OWS has provided regular briefings on topics of interest to Congress and the media and will continue to provide updates and announcements as OWS reaches new milestones. Congress has been a vital partner in the all-of-America response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With support provided through emergency supplemental and flexible discretionary funding, OWS has now made strong progress toward a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, with multiple candidates in Phase 3 clinical trials. Simultaneously, OWS and partners are developing a plan for delivering a safe and effective product to Americans as quickly and reliably as possible. Experts from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are leading vaccine development, while experts from the Department of Defense (DoD) are partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other parts of HHS to coordinate supply, production, and distribution of vaccines. Successful implementation of the national COVID-19 vaccination program requires precise coordination across federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments and among many public and private partners.
    [Show full text]
  • Evaluation of Tools and Metrics to Support Employer Selection of Health Plans
    Research Report Final Report: Evaluation of Tools and Metrics to Support Employer Selection of Health Plans Soeren Mattke, Kristin R. Van Busum, Grant Martsolf Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor The research described in this report was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, and was produced within RAND Health, a division of the RAND Corporation. The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND’s publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors. Support RAND—make a tax-deductible charitable contribution at www.rand.org/giving/ contribute.html R® is a registered trademark. © Copyright 2013 RAND Corporation This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of RAND documents to a non-RAND website is prohibited. RAND documents are protected under copyright law. Permission is given to duplicate this document for personal use only, as long as it is unaltered and complete. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of our research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please see the RAND permissions page (http://www.rand.org/pubs/permissions.html). RAND OFFICES SANTA MONICA, CA • WASHINGTON, DC PITTSBURGH, PA • NEW ORLEANS, LA • JACKSON, MS • BOSTON, MA DOHA, QA • CAMBRIDGE, UK • BRUSSELS, BE Preface This Research Report was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. It is based on a review of the trade and scientific literature and health insurers’ websites; an analysis of product and service offerings from a random sample of 70 health insurance companies; an expert panel meeting with 15 individuals representing a variety of perspectives, including academia, consumer advocacy groups, measures developers, and employer coalitions; and case study interviews with nine employers and business coalitions.
    [Show full text]
  • Leading the Way? Maine's Initial Experience in Expanding Coverage
    LEADING THE WAY? MAINE’S INITIAL EXPERIENCE IN EXPANDING COVERAGE THROUGH DIRIGO HEALTH REFORMS Debra J. Lipson, James M. Verdier, and Lynn Quincy Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. December 2007 ABSTRACT: Since enacting comprehensive health care reform in 2003, Maine’s Dirigo Health program has helped expand coverage for low- and moderate-income individuals. By September 2006, about 16,100 individuals were enrolled in two coverage initiatives: DirigoChoice, a subsidized insurance product, and a Medicaid eligibility expansion for low-income parents of dependent children. While these programs are making health coverage more affordable to low- income individuals, small firms, and sole proprietors, with subsidies targeting those most in need, by late 2006, the initiatives had enrolled less than 10 percent of previously uninsured residents. To pay for this expanded coverage, Maine has utilized savings in the overall health care system due to lower uncompensated care and cost controls. However, the funds raised thus far are insufficient to pay for greater subsidized enrollment in Dirigo programs, leading to a search for other financing sources to sustain the program. Support for this research was provided by The Commonwealth Fund and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Changes in Health Care Financing and Organization (HCFO) Initiative. The views presented here are those of the authors and not necessarily those of The Commonwealth Fund, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, or their directors, officers, or staff. This report and other Fund publications are available online at www.commonwealthfund.org. To learn more about new publications when they become available, visit the Fund’s Web site and register to receive e-mail alerts.
    [Show full text]
  • Designing Subsidized Health Coverage Programs to Attract Enrollment
    Contract No.: 233-02-0086 MPR Reference No.: 6203-950 Designing Subsidized Health Coverage Programs to Attract Enrollment: A Review of the Literature and a Synthesis of Stakeholder Views Final Report December 31, 2008 Lynn Quincy Patricia Collins Kristin Andrews Christal Stone Submitted to: Submitted by: ASPE/HHS Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. 200 Independence Ave., S.W. 600 Maryland Ave., S.W., Suite 550 Washington, DC 20201 Washington, DC 20024-2512 Telephone: (202) 484-9220 Facsimile: (202) 863-1763 Project Officer: Project Director: Donald Cox Deborah Chollet A CKNOWLEDGMENTS his report was prepared by Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., under contract number 233-02-0086 for the Assistant Secretary of Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), T U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Donald Cox and Donald Oellerich served as project officers for this report. We gratefully acknowledge their support of this study. Many individuals contributed to this report. Lynn Quincy is the primary author of the report. She received significant research and writing assistance from Kristin Andrews, Patricia Collins, Elizabeth Seif, Christal Stone, and Kia Alston. Deborah Chollet, Mary Harrington and Chris Trenholm provided expert advice. Debra Lipson reviewed the report and made useful suggestions that improved the quality of the report. Amanda Bernhardt led the editorial team and Donna Dorsey provided production assistance. Although we gratefully acknowledge the input of these individuals, the authors alone are responsible for any errors or omissions in the report. Any opinions expressed in this report are those of the study participants and authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • “Reducing Health Care Costs: Promoting Administrative Simplification and Efficiency”
    “Reducing Health Care Costs: Promoting Administrative Simplification and Efficiency” by Matt Eyles President and CEO America’s Health Insurance Plans for the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions July 31, 2018 Chairman Alexander, Ranking Member Murray, and members of the committee, I am Matt Eyles, President and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). AHIP is the national association whose members provide coverage for health care and related services to millions of Americans every day. Through these offerings, we improve and protect the health and financial security of consumers, families, businesses, communities, and the nation. We are committed to market-based solutions and public-private partnerships that improve affordability, value, access, and well-being for consumers. We appreciate this opportunity to testify on our industry’s leadership in simplifying health care and in efforts to protect patients; support doctors and hospitals in delivering high quality, evidence-based care; and reduce administrative costs. Our members are strongly committed to working with clinicians and hospitals to reduce complexity, improve value and patient health, and increase patient satisfaction. Americans deserve affordable coverage choices that help to improve their health and financial security. To advance this goal, health insurance providers invest in a wide range of initiatives— some of which involve administrative spending—to improve patient care, enhance health outcomes, and protect patients from receiving inappropriate or unnecessary health care services and treatments that provide little to no value. Health insurance providers don’t just pay medical bills—we’re partners, dedicated to better health and well-being for consumers. We believe all patients should be treated with safe, effective care.
    [Show full text]
  • Toward a High Performance Health Care System for Vulnerable Populations: Funding for Safety-Net Hospitals
    Toward a High Performance Health Care System for Vulnerable Populations: Funding for Safety-Net Hospitals Prepared for the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System Deborah Bachrach, Laura Braslow, and Anne Karl Manatt Health Solutions March 2012 THE COMMONWEALTH FUND COMMISSION ON A HIGH PERFORMANCE HEALTH SYSTEM Membership David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P. Jon M. Kingsdale, Ph.D. Chair of the Commission Consultant Stuart Guterman Samuel O. Thier Professor of Executive Director Medicine and Professor of Health Gregory P. Poulsen, M.B.A. Vice President for Payment Care Policy Massachusetts General Senior Vice President and System Reform Hospital/Partners HealthCare System Intermountain Health Care The Commonwealth Fund and Harvard Medical School Neil R. Powe, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A. Cathy Schoen, M.S. Maureen Bisognano, M.Sc. Chief, Medical Services Research Director President and Chief Executive Officer San Francisco General Hospital Senior Vice President for Institute for Healthcare Improvement Constance B. Wofsy Distinguished Research and Evaluation Professor and Vice-Chair of Medicine The Commonwealth Fund Sandra Bruce, M.S. University of California, San Francisco President and Chief Executive Officer Rachel Nuzum, M.P.H. Resurrection Health Care Louise Y. Probst, R.N., M.B.A. Senior Policy Director Executive Director Vice President for Federal Christine K. Cassel, M.D. St. Louis Area Business Health and State Health Policy President and Chief Executive Officer Coalition The Commonwealth Fund American Board of Internal Medicine and ABIM Foundation Martín J. Sepúlveda, M.D., FACP IBM Fellow and Vice President Michael Chernew, Ph.D. Integrated Health Services Professor IBM Corporation Department of Health Care Policy Harvard Medical School David A.
    [Show full text]
  • Save Money by Choosing Blue Distinction® Total Care (BDTC) Doctors
    Save Money by Choosing Blue Distinction® Total Care (BDTC) Doctors Need to see a doctor? Choose family physicians, internal medicine physicians or pediatricians with a BDTC designation and your copayment will be $0. This is an enhanced benefit for members of the ICUBA health plan through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Inc. (BCBSF). What is a BDTC designation? Doctors with this recognition are dedicated to improving follow-up care. BDTC designation does not necessarily the quality of care for their patients. They also specialize mean they provide a higher standard of care than other in care for people with chronic conditions — such as doctors. It means these doctors take part in a quality diabetes, asthma, COPD and heart problems — to ensure improvement program recognized by BCBSF. each person receives preventive screenings and How do I find a BDTC doctor? Use the online Doctor and Hospital Finder to locate Step 2: Open the Doctor and Hospital Finder. doctors with a BDTC designation: Under the Resources tab, select Find a Doctor Step 1: Log in to My Health Toolkit®. or Hospital. Go to www.MyHealthToolkitFL.com and log in to your member account. 2 1 Step 3: Add search criteria. • Choose your location. • Enter “ICI” as the first three letter of your member ID. • Select a category from the drop-down menu. 3 • Enter your search term and select the search button. • Select Blue Distinction Total Care from Refine Tool on the left side of the page. Which doctor is right for me? Your search results will include all BDTC doctors in your area.
    [Show full text]
  • List of Eligible Applicants and Estimated Funding Award Amounts by Category
    Attachm nt A OOOTTT222111 ––– 222111 333::: NNNatatatiiiooonnnalalal IIInnniiitttiiiatatatiiivvveee tttooo AAAddddddrrreeessssss CCCOOOVVVIIIDDD---111999 HHHeeealalalttthhh DDDiiissspppararariiitttiiieeesss amamamooonnnggg PPPooopppuuulllatatatiiiooonnnsss atatat HHHiiiggghhh---RRRiiissskkk anananddd UUUnnndddeeerrrssseeerrrvvveeeddd,,, IIInnncccllluuudddiiinnnggg RRRacacaciiialalal anananddd EEEttthhhnnniiiccc MMMiiinnnooorrriiitttyyy PPPooopppuuulllatatatiiiooonnnsss anananddd RRRuuurrralalal CCCooommmmmmuuunnniiitttiiieeesss List of Eligible Applicants and Estimated Funding Award Amounts by Category State Estimated Awards Award ange $17,000,000 - $50,000,000 Award Average $32,000,000 Eligible Applicants Alabama D partm nt of Public H alth (ADPH) Alaska D partm nt of H alth and Social S rvic s - Division of Public H alth Arizona D partm nt of H alth S rvic s Arkansas D partm nt of H alth California D partm nt of Public H alth Colorado D partm nt of Public H alth and Environm nt Conn cticut D partm nt of Public H alth D lawar D partm nt of H alth and Social S rvic s- Division of Public H alth Florida D partm nt of H alth G orgia D partm nt of Public H alth Hawaii Stat D partm nt of H alth Idaho D partm nt of H alth and W lfar Illinois D partm nt of Public H alth Indiana D partm nt of H alth Iowa D partm nt of Public H alth Kansas D partm nt of H alth & Environm nt K ntucky D partm nt for Public H alth Louisiana D partm nt of H alth Main D partm nt of H alth and Human S rvic s Maryland D partm nt of H alth Massachus tts D partm nt of Public
    [Show full text]
  • 2011 State Profile — Palau
    2011 State Profile — Palau National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS) The National Survey of Substance Abuse Treatment Services (N-SSATS) is an annual survey of facilities providing substance abuse treatment. It is conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). N-SSATS is designed to collect data on the location, characteristics, services offered, and number of clients in treatment at alcohol and drug abuse treatment facilities (both public and private) throughout the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and other U.S. jurisdictions. More information on N-SSATS methodology is available at the following URL: http://www.samhsa.gov/data/2k3/NSSATS/NSSATS.pdf In Palau, 1 substance abuse treatment facility was included in the 2011 N-SSATS, reporting that there were 105 clients in substance abuse treatment on March 31, 2011. The survey response rate in Palau was 100.0%. Facility Operation Clients in Treatment on March 31, 2011 Facilities All Clients Clients Under Age 18 No. % No. % No. % Private non-profit 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Private for-profit 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Local, county, or community government 1 100.0 105 100.0 10 100.0 State government 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Federal government 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Dept. of Veterans Affairs 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Dept. of Defense 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Indian Health Service 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Other 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Tribal government 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 Total 1 100.0 105 100.0 10 100.0 Primary Focus of Facility Clients in Treatment on March 31, 2011 Facilities All Clients Clients Under Age 18 No.
    [Show full text]
  • Absolute Total Care Provider Tip Sheet
    1441 Main Street Suite 900 Columbia, SC 29201 Absolute Total Care Provider Tip Sheet Details on any topic and the latest version of the Provider Manual and provider and member newsletters are available on our website, absolutetotalcare.com, or via Provider Services at 1-866-433-6041. Quality Improvement (QI) Program Absolute Total Care’s QI Program focuses on preventive health and assures quality care and services are provided to our members. The program measures efforts to improve the health and safety of our members and strives to make a difference in health outcomes. As part of the Absolute Total Care network, providers agree to: Cooperate with QI activities. Maintain the confidentiality of member information and records. Allow the organization to use their performance data. Ensure that office hours for South Carolina Healthy Connections Medicaid members are no less than those offered to commercial members. Absolute Total Care’s medical staff and QI Committee assist with developing and monitoring activities of the QI Program. If you would like a copy of the Annual QI Program and progress on meeting our goals, please contact Provider Services at 1-866-433-6041. Medicals Records and Reviews Absolute Total Care providers must keep accurate and complete medical records. Such records enable providers to offer the highest quality healthcare services to members. Accurate records also enable Absolute Total Care to review the quality and appropriateness of the services provided. To assure the member’s privacy, medical records should be kept in a secure location. Providers must maintain complete medical records for members in accordance with specific standards listed in the Provider Manual.
    [Show full text]