The Impact of the Partnership Program on Outpatient Clinic Visits and CHAMPUS Costs at Darnall Army Community Hospital.
Abstract
The Partnership Program was established to increase access for CHAMPUS eligible beneficiaries, recapture workload at the military treatment facility (MIF) formerly lost to CHAMPUS, and to save government costs. This is a study to determine if the Partnership Program has increased access, recaptured CHAMPUS eligible beneficiaries and saved CHAMPUS dollars in 12 of the 15 outpatient clinics with partners at Darnall Army Community Hospital (DACH), Ft. Hood, Texas. Clinic visit data for the 12 clinics were collected for a five year period and analyzed for trends. Partner workload was subtracted from the total clinic workload in 1989 and trended alone side total clinic workload. A student test was performed to determine significant difference between means for all visits and visits in 1989. The results indicate that the Partnership Program increased access in all clinics in 1989. CHAMPUS recapture cannot be determined directly by DACH's clinic workload. CHAMPUS visit data were collected by category of beneficiary for the years 1987-1989. This study is non-conclusive as to the rate of recapture of CHAMPUS beneficiaries. To determine savings of CHAMPUS costs, total costs to CHAMPUS were trended for three fiscal years. Costs per visit were then compared between total CHAMPUS, partner CHAMPUS, and DACH costs. While total costs per visit increased for regular CHAMPUS, partner CHAMPUS and DACH, the cost per visit for partners was less than CHAMPUS costs in all specialties except allergy in 1989. The net effect was a potential savings of $483,038 to CHAMPUS from the Partnership Program.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA279227
Entities
People
- Patricia A. Dimeglio
Organizations
- Academy of Health Sciences