Evaluation of the Arkansas Medicaid Primary Care Physician Management Program

Arkansas implemented a primary-care case-management program in February 1994. This study evaluates the program during its first 17 months. Using quarterly data collected for the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), a pooled cross-sectional time series analysis (1991:4-1995:2) estimates the effect of eligibles' program enrollment on expenditure (total, inpatient hospital, outpatient hospital, physicians, prescription drugs, laboratory and X-ray) and utilization measures (outpatient visits, physician visits, prescription drugs). The Arkansas Medicaid managed care program appears to have somewhat reduced growth in total vendor payments and also appears to have improved access to primary medical services.