Top 5 Most-Read AJMC® Journal Articles of 2021

In 2021, the articles published in the peer-reviewed The American Journal of Managed Care^® (AJMC^®) explored responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, the potential of health policy reforms, the importance of population health, and much more.

Here are the 5 most-read AJMC^® journal articles in 2021.

5. Medicaid Managed Care: Further Reform Needed to Deliver on Promise

In this commentary, published in the February issue, the authors address the successes and shortfalls of Medicaid managed care, explaining that while it has slowed state spending growth, it has not improved care quality and may have actually limited access to care for some populations. They call for further reforms in the area, including speeding up the shift to alternative payment models.

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4. Large Self-insured Employers Lack Power to Effectively Negotiate Hospital Prices

This original research article published in the July issue explores the ability of self-insured employers to negotiate hospital prices and finds that employers’ market power is low in most areas. The investigators suggest that such employers may want to consider joining purchasing alliances with government employee groups to boost their market power and achieve lower hospital prices at the negotiating table.

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3. The Essential Role of Population Health During and Beyond COVID-19

In this Trends From the Field article, appearing in the March issue but published online early in September 2020, the authors highlight their experience within Partners Health System to illustrate how population health management helped the health system withstand the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, including by offering mobile health interventions and integrated behavioral health services. The authors anticipate that population health programs can support a resilient health system even after the pandemic.

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2. Differences in the Use of Telephone and Video Telemedicine Visits During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In this original research article published in our Health Information Technology (IT) special issue in January, investigators find striking disparities in the proportions of patients using video visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Black, Hispanic, and Spanish-speaking patients were less likely to use video visits, as were patients living in areas with the lowest broadband internet access and lowest educational attainment. Noting that practices and clinicians drove much of the variation, the authors call for institutions to “equip patients, clinicians, and practices to promote equitable access to all telemedicine modalities.”

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1. From the Editorial Board: Sachin H. Jain, MD, MBA

A letter penned for the January Health IT issue by AJMC^® editorial board member Sachin H. Jain, MD, MBA, explores the growth in telehealth visits during the pandemic and posits that the situation provides both an opportunity and dilemma for patients and providers. Jain highlights the efforts of organizations like SCAN Health Plan to “meet patients where they are” and provide personalized support as they adjust to new technologies.

Read the full letter.