Medicaid Experiment in Oregon Leads to Decreased Use of Imaging Services

The switch to a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model of care combined with a new per-member per-month payment structure in Oregon’s Medicaid program decreased use of imaging services by more than 42 percent, but other outcomes were unaffected, a new AHRQ-funded study has found. Researchers said that the study, published in Health Affairs, offers lessons to other states that are interested in using payment reform to advance the PCMH model for the Medicaid population. Oregon adopted elements of the PCMH model for its Medicaid program in 2013 by changing the reimbursement structure for traditional primary care services for some community health centers. Access the abstract.