Researchers Compare Health Care Expenditures for Medicaid-Insured Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Asthma in an Expanding Accountable Care Organization

Cambridge Health Alliance and University of Virginia researchers publish findings that outline health care costs among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who are treated by a public sector accountable care organization (ACO). The article is available here and will be available in print via Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Congratulations to Brian Mullin and Ben Cook of the HERLab!

Full Abstract:

As value-based care continues to expand, more children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) will be treated by accountable care organizations (ACOs), provider organizations seeking to improve population health while reducing costs. To inform ACO strategies for children with ASD, this study compared health care expenditures of children insured by a Medicaid managed care organization, empaneled to a safety net ACO, with ASD, asthma, and neither diagnosis. Compared to other study groups, children with ASD were more costly, had lower rates of acute care, and had higher rates of “leaked” care provided by home- and community-based mental health agencies outside of the ACO. These findings highlight the need for unique value-based strategies for children with ASD in a public sector ACO.