The Effect of a Telephone-based Health Coaching Disease Management Program on Medicaid Members With Chronic Conditions

BACKGROUND: 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. OBJECTIVES: To examine the effect of a telephone-based health coaching disease management program on healthcare utilization and expenditures in Medicaid members with chronic conditions. RESEARCH DESIGN: 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. SUBJECTS: 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. RESULTS: 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). CONCLUSIONS: 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.