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Lok Wong, MHS, Quality Measurement, National Committee for Quality Assurance, 2000 L Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington D.C, DC 20036, 202 955 1784, wong@ncqa.org and Shaheen Halim, MA, Research & Analysis, National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), 2000 L St., N.W., Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036.
Objective: To describe national performance of managed care plans in providing medical assistance to smokers for smoking cessation.
Design: Summary statistics on 387 Commercial and Medicaid plans who submitted survey responses to the Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey (CAHPS®) for the new HEDIS® 2003 measure, Medical Assistance with Smoking Cessation (MASC). The measure provides two new rates assessing the percentage of smokers and recent quitters who reported their health care provider discussed smoking cessation medications (DSCM), discussed smoking cessation strategies (DSCS), and advised smokers to quit (ASTQ). Results from the first of two years data are presented.
Findings: Mean performance showed higher likelihood of smokers receiving advice to quit smoking (68%) than discussing smoking cessation medications (37%) or strategies (36%) with a health care provider among Commercial plans. Average rates were slightly lower but comparable in Medicaid plans (64%, 30% and 31%). Plans’ performance in the 90th percentile were less favorable for the two new rates, about 25 percentage points lower than the ASTQ rate.
Conclusions: Preliminary results indicate greater room for improvement in providing specific medical assistance to smokers compared to advice. Plans need to encourage providers to provide more comprehensive and in-depth assistance to help smokers quit. Final results with the 2004 data will provide more conclusive information on plan-specific performance for public reporting and focusing quality improvement efforts. Despite revised guidelines in 2000 that demonstrate medical assistance can double smoking quit rates, assistance received by smokers to quit smoking is poor and variable in managed care.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Managed Care, Smoking Cessation
Related Web page: www.ncqa.org
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), HEDIS - Health Plan and Employer Data Information Set, CAHPS - Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: National Committee for Quality Assurance - Employer