Publically Managed Care found to be Superior to Private Managed Care
Boston University School of Public Health researchers reported that older, male patients receiving care from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) health care systems had better health outcomes than those in privately managed care plans that are part of the government-run Medicare Advantage program using private contracted managed care.
Two surveys were done on 107,300 men, ages 65 and older, between 1999 and 2003.
VHA care was found to be more effective that the privately contracted Medicare Advantage program. This was true for the average elderly male patient cared for in the VHA as well as for vulnerable sub-populations."
These sub-populations included those 75 years of age and older, and those diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease or chronic heart failure.
Patients receiving care in the VHA after two years were 3 to 10 percent more likely to be alive with the same or better physical or mental health than those in the Medicare Advantage program after two years of care, the study concluded.
Authors of the study: at Boston University School of Medicine and School of Public Health
Lewis E. Kazis, Sc.D. - Professor Health Policy;
Alfredo Selim, MD - Assistant Professor of Medicine
Dan Berlowitz, MD, Professor of Healthy Policy and Management:
James A. Rothendler MD, Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management;
Avron Spiro III, PhD Associate Professor of Epidemiology and,
Donald Miller, ScD, Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management.
