Managing care? Medicare managed care and patient use of cardiologists.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine the impact of Medicare managed care (MMC) versus Medicare fee for service (MFFS) on stent patients' use of physicians with lower resource use and better outcomes.

Data sources/study setting

Retrospective secondary data from 2003 through 2006 for 67,476 patients without acute myocardial infarction, staying 2 or more days in hospital, and treated by 486 physicians in Florida performing 10 or more cases per quarter.

Study design

Analysis was at the patient level. Multivariate logistic models estimated the probability of an MMC patient using a physician with a particular risk-adjusted profile rank with respect to hospital peers.

Principal findings

No differences were found in usage of physicians with shorter admissions. Compared with MFFS, MMC

SUBMITTER: Huesch MD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2838149 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature