Care for Chronic Conditions

“More Answers on Reinsurance.” Donald Cohn, Enrique Martinez-Vidal, and Deborah Chollet, June 2005. Many states are interested in reinsurance as a strategy to maintain or increase health insurance coverage. This brief can be used as a supplemental technical guide for state policymakers who are interested in using reinsurance to expand or maintain health insurance. Questions pertaining to reduced premiums, the importance of state review, disease management, how to run a program, and more are answered.

Ensuring Health Care Quality

"Acute Myocardial Infarction, 1992-2001. MQMS Highlights: A Report from the Medicare Quality Monitoring System.” Robert Schmitz, March 2005. Heart disease is the leading cause of hospitalization and death in the United States among persons age 65 and older. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI), more commonly known as heart attack, accounted for more than 321,000 hospitalizations among Medicare beneficiaries in 2001. This report presents trends in AMI hospitalization, readmission, and mortality rates from 1992 through 2001 among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries across various demographic groups.

“Heart Failure, 1992-2001. MQMS Highlights: A Report from the Medicare Quality Monitoring System.” Angela Merrill, March 2005. Congestive heart failure (CHF)—the inability of the heart to pump enough blood to the body—is the leading cause of hospitalizations among Medicare beneficiaries. Despite the fact that this is a chronic disease for which appropriate outpatient care can reduce hospitalizations, the rates of hospitalizations for Medicare beneficiaries have risen since 1980. In 2001, CHF hospitalizations cost Medicare more than $4 billion. This study presents trends in CHF hospitalizations, readmissions, and mortality from 1992 through 2001 among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries across various demographic groups.

“Stroke, 1992-2001. MQMS Highlights: A Report from the Medicare Quality Monitoring System.” Christina Park, March 2005. Cerebrovascular accidents, or strokes, are currently the third leading cause of death in the United States. Also a leading cause of disability, they represent an enormous burden on health care costs. This report presents trends in stroke hospitalizations, readmissions, and mortality from 1992 through 2001 among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries across various demographic groups. The report presents outcomes for four stroke-related cohorts: stroke only, stroke/transient ischemic attack, atrial fibrillation, and carotid endarterectomy.

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On the Move: Staff News and Changes

Administration Division. David Myers has been appointed chief strategy officer. An expert in school interventions, student achievement, and evaluation methodology, he is responsible for ensuring integrity and excellence in the company's work with current and prospective clients and overseeing the company’s quality assurance policies.

Research Division. Paul Decker has been appointed managing director of the Human Services Department. An expert on employment and education interventions, he is responsible for overall operations and performance of the company's work in labor, education, welfare, early childhood, and food and nutrition policy.