Washington Medicaid ER Visits Down 10% After Launch Of Initiative To Slow Unnecessary Utilization

A Washington State Medicaid initiative launched in 2012 to slow unnecessary emergency department utilization resulted in reducing the overall emergency department visit rate by 9.9% during the first year. The reduction in visits saved the state about $34 million in 2013. Between June 2012 and June 2013, the rate of emergency department visits per 1,000 Medicaid beneficiaries declined by 9.9%, from about 43 per 1,000 in June 2012 to about 38 per 1,000 in June 2013. During the period, the rate of visits by frequent clients (who visited five or more times annually) decreased by . . .