Abstract
Objectives: To examine variation in risk-adjusted reinsurance payments across Part D plans, analyze its implications for the program, and explore options to reduce reinsurance payments. Data/Study Design: 2007–2015 Part D Plan Payment and Premium data; 2010–2013 Part D Prescription Drug Event data; and 2013 Part D Plan Formulary Files. Principal Findings: Risk-adjusted reinsurance payments varied widely across plans at a given out-of-pocket (OOP) premium. The variance in risk-adjusted reinsurance in common OOP premium ranges increased between 2010 and 2015. High risk-adjusted reinsurance payments were negatively correlated with use of utilization management tools for high-cost drugs. Conclusions: Growing reinsurance payments shrink plans’ liability for managing drug spending for high-cost enrollees, creating plan moral hazard, and making OOP premiums a noisy signal of plans’ total costs.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 4371-4380 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Health services research |
| Volume | 53 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 2018 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Joint Acknowledgment/Disclosure Statement: This work is supported by NIH/NIA grant number 1R01AG047934-01. Disclosures: None. Disclaimer: None.
Publisher Copyright:
© Health Research and Educational Trust
Keywords
- Part D reinsurance
- competitive bidding
- plan moral hazard