Care management improves total cost of care for patients with dementia.

OBJECTIVES

To examine a 12-month dementia care management program's effect on health care cost, utilization, and overall return on investment in a Medicare managed care population.

STUDY DESIGN

Pre-post analysis of participants (n = 121) enrolled in Ochsner's Care Ecosystem program from 2019 through 2021 compared with propensity-matched controls (n = 121). The primary outcome comparison was total cost of care. Secondary outcomes included components of total cost of care (eg, inpatient, outpatient, emergency department [ED] costs), health care utilization (eg, number of ED visits), and differences in Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) risk scores.

METHODS

Difference-in-differences analyses were conducted from baseline through 12 months comparing various financial metrics and utilization between groups.

RESULTS

Care Ecosystem participants had significantly lower total cost of care at 12 months, mean savings of $475.80 per member per month compared with controls. Care Ecosystem participants had fewer ED, outpatient, and professional visits. HCC risk scores were also better relative to matched controls.

CONCLUSIONS

A collaborative dementia care program demonstrated significant financial benefit in a managed Medicare population.