New Actuarial Analysis Estimates Medicaid Palliative Care Return on Investment
A new publication from the National Academy State Health Policy (NASHP) (conducted by CBIZ Optumas, and developed with support from The John A. Hartford Foundation) analyzes the impact of a palliative care benefit in Medicaid through an actuarial approach. According to their analysis, effective administration of a Medicaid palliative care benefit for the highest service utilizers could produce cost avoidance savings ranging between $231 and $1,165 per Medicaid beneficiary per month, with potential return on investment for states ranging between $0.80 and $2.60 for every $1 spent on palliative care, while improving quality of life for both the beneficiaries and their caregivers. They found that among Medicaid beneficiaries, those with disabilities and those receiving long-term services and supports (LTSS) have a higher prevalence of serious illness. Input to this analysis came from CAPC’s Allison Silvers, as well as CAPC faculty Torrie Fields, Brian Cassel, and Kathleen Kerr.