Comparing Quality in Managed Care and Fee-for-Service Delivery Systems

In Massachusetts’ largest Medicaid accountable care organization (ACO), high-risk care management significantly reduced spending, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations, demonstrating that targeted strategies can manage health care costs amid budget constraints.

Accountable care organization (ACO) participation was associated with an increase in hospitals’ mean market share and with additional market share gains in more concentrated markets.

Although use of corticosteroid premedication prior to infliximab infusions is declining, it remains unnecessarily high despite limited benefit and the risk of serious adverse events from corticosteroids.

To mark the 30th anniversary of The American Journal of Managed Care (AJMC), each issue in 2025 includes a special feature: reflections from a thought leader on what has changed—and what has not—over the past 3 decades and what’s next for managed care. The July issue features a conversation with David J. Shulkin, MD, a physician and former secretary of the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

On April 10, 2025, leaders from Louisiana health systems convened in New Orleans to provide updates on the Healthy State initiative to improve population health in the state.

In 2025, each issue of Population Health, Equity & Outcomes will feature a profile of a health system leader transforming care in their area of expertise. This issue spotlights a conversation with Ken Cohen, MD, executive director of translational research at Optum Health.