Does Health Status Matter? Examining the Experiences of the Chronically Ill in Medicaid Managed Care

Managed care's promises of improved cost efficiency and continuity of care to the general population are being tested by the higher demands of Medicare and Medicaid populations, including many chronically ill individuals. By examining and comparing satisfaction among chronically ill and healthier enrollees and between Medicaid and non-Medicaid enrollees, the authors develop an understanding of how satisfaction among the chronically ill provides assessments that are important to all enrollees. The authors examine public policy initiatives in the context of the special needs of the chronically ill to determine whether the initiatives are likely to help generate improvements with respect to aspects of care and access that are most important to the chronically ill and ultimately to enrollees in general.