Compensation Commission cites US Family Health Plan as Important Example of Population Health Management for DOD
Arlington, VA – The Final Report of the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission calls the U.S. Family Health Plan (“USFHP”) “An important example” of how to use “nonprice tools to manage patient care.” The commission recommends the US Family Health Plan continue to be among the health care choices available to military families in a new OPM-administered program.
“The Commission has reaffirmed USFHP as a provider of high quality care that improves health and keeps people out of the hospital,” said Jim Schweiter, Chief Executive Officer for US Family Health Plan Alliance. “The Commission’s recognition of USFHP as an example of care management practices that the rest of TRICARE should emulate is very gratifying.”
“Population health management is the direction of future medical care in the United States. We are pleased that the Commission recognized this trend as it considered the future of the TRICARE health benefit,” said David Howes, president of Martin’s Point Health Care, a US Family Health Plan member and chair of the Alliance’s board of directors. “The Commission also recognized the value of the US Family Health Plan in using tools to avoid inpatient admissions, prevent readmissions and shorten hospital stays. The US Family Health Plan is renowned for providing high quality health care to beneficiaries. As everyone familiar with this plan knows, patient satisfaction among its members has long been among the highest in the Department of Defense health care system.”
In its report, the Commission recognized the USFHP program for its use of “population health” managed care techniques which include “disease management, wellness, and better coordination of care.” The commission report notes that compared to TRICARE Prime, USFHP participants, have 33 percent fewer inpatient days and 28 percent fewer emergency room visits than other TRICARE Prime enrollees.
The commission commended USFHP for “identifying high-risk patients, managing complex cases, keeping chronic diseases under control, and promoting wellness and preventative services.” As a result of the success of the USFHP program’s managed care techniques, the Commission recommended that the program continue in the new system of care proposed in its report.
About the US Family Health Plan
The US Family Health Plan is among the health care choices for eligible beneficiaries of the Department of Defense’s TRICARE Prime program. Health care is provided to active-duty family members, including activated National Guard and Reserve family members, and retirees and their family members. Care is provided through large, local civilian health care networks of primary care physicians, hospitals and affiliated specialists. Patients choose a primary physician who provides and coordinates care and referrals to specialists and hospitals. The US Family Health Plan Alliance is the association that represents the collective interests of the regional USFHP networks in interactions with Congress, the Department of Defense, and the private sector.
Contact: Jim Schweiter,
US Family Health Plan Alliance
Jim.Schweiter@usfhp.com
