Improving Care for Children with Asthma: Business Case for Quality II

Asthma is one of the most common factors leading to emergency room visits and hospital admissions for children covered by Medicaid. Estimated costs for pediatric asthma care surpass $16 billion annually. A new national initiative, the Business Case for Quality: Phase II (BCQ), is testing three interventions to improve quality of care and reduce health care costs for children with high-risk asthma.

BCQII is designed to deliver results through its rigorous study design, measurement of clinical quality, and business case analyses for multiple stakeholders. The initiative also seeks to identify financing misalignments that impede investments in quality, as well as strategies for correcting them.

Mathematica, along with the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill (UNC), is evaluating the initiative. Mathematica is providing technical assistance on study design and evaluating quality outcomes, including a survey of Medicaid beneficiaries. UNC is leading the evaluation of cost/utilization outcomes and return on investment.  The evaluation is funded by the Center for Health Care Strategies, Inc.

Three organizations are participating in this four-year initiative: Alameda Alliance for Health (Oakland, CA); Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center; and Monroe Plan for Medical Care (Rochester, NY). Each organization is receiving training and technical assistance on quality improvement, program evaluation, and return on investment analysis, as well as seed grants to help defray participation costs. Interim results are expected in early 2010 with final results in 2012.

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