Comprehensive Support for Family Caregivers: Impact on Veteran Health Care Utilization and Costs

Overview

Journal Med Care Res Rev

Specialty Health Services

Date 2017 Nov 18

PMID 29148338

Citations 29

Authors

Courtney Harold Van Houtven

Valerie A Smith

Karen M Stechuchak

Megan Shepherd-Banigan

Susan Nicole Hastings

Matthew L Maciejewski

Gilbert Darryl Wieland

Maren K Olsen

Katherine E M Miller

Margaret Kabat

Jennifer Henius

Margaret Campbell-Kotler

Eugene Z Oddone

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the early impact of the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) on Veteran health care utilization and costs. A pre-post cohort design including a nonequivalent control group was used to understand how Veterans' use of Veteran Affairs health care and total health care costs changed in 6-month intervals up to 3 years after PCAFC enrollment. The control group was an inverse probability of treatment weighted sample of Veterans whose caregivers applied for, but were not accepted into, PCAFC. Veterans in PCAFC had similar acute care utilization postenrollment when compared with those in the control group, but significantly greater primary, specialty, and mental health outpatient care use at least 30, and up to 36, months postenrollment. Estimated total health care costs for PCAFC Veterans were $1,500 to $3,400 higher per 6-month interval than for control group Veterans. PCAFC may have increased Veterans' access to care.

Citing Articles

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