Disease management is an approach to health care that focuses specifically on populations with certain chronic conditions. Disease management employs the evidence-based, proactive strategies known to help keep those with chronic conditions at their lowest possible level of risk. The impact of disease management is now widely recognized: improved health, better quality of life, and reduced health care costs.

Disease management works because it educates and empowers participants for appropriate self-management. Those who understand their medical condition can make better, more informed health care decisions. They are more likely to take an active role in their own health care and to see themselves as partnering with their health care team. These educated, empowered individuals are more likely to use health care resources appropriately and to have better compliance with their plan of care.

The MedCost Disease Management Program is a disease-specific risk reduction program. Individuals with one or more of the six chronic conditions are identified for recruitment into the program from medical and pharmacy claims data. The program continually evaluates each individual’s clinical, humanistic, and economic outcomes with the goal of improving health and reducing the cost of care. Customized interventions are created for each enrollee, designed to treat the whole person, not just disease-related symptoms. If co-morbidities are identified, these are also managed.

MedCost partners with Nationwide Better Health, an experienced, URAC accredited disease management company, to provide this outstanding product for our clients. The partnership between MedCost and Nationwide Better Health combines the strengths, resources, and relationship networks of each organization to offer an effective disease management option to employers.