News Report | May 28, 2020
Iowa Medicaid Healthy Behaviors Program Participants Less Likely To Use Hospital-Based Care
Iowa Medicaid expansion enrollees who participated in the Iowa Medicaid Healthy Behaviors Program (HBP) had substantial reductions in their utilization of hospital-based care. Compared to the non-participants, HBP participants from 2014 through 2017 were less likely to visit an emergency department; the likelihood was 9.6 percentage points lower. The HBP participants were also less likely to be hospitalized, at 2.8 percentage points lower. However, the HBP participants had total spending $1,594 higher than non-participants’ spending.
HBP is a mandatory program for Iowa Medicaid expansion enrollees. They must complete an annual wellness exam and health . . .