Impact of an Episode-Based Payment Initiative by Commercial Payers in Arkansas on Procedure Volume: an Observational Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Episode-based payment (EBP) is gaining traction among payers as an alternative to fee-for-service reimbursement. However, there is concern that EBP could influence the number of episodes.

Objective

To examine how procedure volume changed after the introduction of EBP in 2013 and 2014 under the Arkansas Health Care Payment Improvement Initiative.

Design

Using 2011-2016 commercial claims data, we estimate a difference-in-differences model to assess the impact of EBP on the probability of a beneficiary having an episode for four procedures that were reimbursed under EBP in Arkansas: total joint replacement, cholecystectomy, colonoscopy, and tonsillectomy.

Participants

Commercially insured beneficiaries in Arkansas serve as our treatment group, while com

SUBMITTER: Chen JL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7018907 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature