Cuyahoga Asthma Pilot Reduces Emergency Room Visits

In the past year, approximately 68,000 Ohio Medicaid members have had claims with an asthma diagnosis with 10.2% classified as high risk. CareSource, a nationally-recognized health plan, recently released the results of the Cuyahoga Asthma Pilot. After reviewing the members’ pre and post intervention medical costs it is clear that these services are cost effective for this high risk population.

“We’re thrilled to report that we’ve seen a 60% decrease in the total cost of care for both asthma-related and overall health,” said Erin Brigham, MPH and director of quality & product operations for Ohio Medicaid and Marketplace at CareSource. “Additionally, we’ve stabilized emergency room utilization but with significantly less hospitalization. We believe this may indicate less severe asthma worsening that are more easily managed as an outpatient rather than inpatient.”

Collaboration Key in Improving Health Outcomes

The Cuyahoga Asthma Pilot is a result of a collaboration between CareSource, Cuyahoga County Department of Health, Environmental Health Watch and Rainbow Babies Department of Pulmonology. The pilot provided environmental antigen decreasing services and intensive care coordination services including asthma education. Nearly 100 Medicaid members who were families of children who have had multiple previous hospital admissions for exacerbation of asthma participated.

“Ultimately this pilot demonstrates the feasibility and potential of Managed Care Organization-Community- Health System partnerships in working together for a Medicaid population,” said Brigham. “We’re looking forward to replicating this success in our other markets.”

Addressing Asthma in an Educational Setting

This pilot follows on the heels of the Dayton Public Schools Asthma Research Study. In 2017, the CareSource Foundation provided a $125,000 grant to Community Health Centers of Greater Dayton (CHCGD), a non-profit organization that provides health care for medically underserved residents in and around Montgomery County, Ohio. The donation helped launch and staff a Mobile Health Unit (MHU), giving students better access for asthma care. The Mobile Health Unit traveled to DPS elementary schools, giving students with asthma the opportunity to be evaluated and assessed no less than three times per school year. The MHU staff provided comprehensive asthma care including asthma well checks, medical treatment for asthma and allergies, asthma action plans, asthma education, care coordination and referral services. While the Mobile Health Unit provided additional care for students, CareSource also used the opportunity to study how this better access to care would ultimately affect health care costs.

Breathing Easier with CareSource from CareSource on Vimeo.

In the end, the program not only expanded access to all students for well-child exams and reduced asthma-related school absences, but it also dramatically reduced asthma-related emergency department and inpatient hospitalizations.

By working with a community partner to bring quality care and health education to individuals affected by asthma, CareSource has also created better tools for understanding health care for underserved populations and a scalable model which may one day be implemented for a broader cross-section of CareSource members.