California State Employee Health Plan VBID Associated With Lower Hospitalization

People who participated in the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) value-based health insurance design (VBID) program had fewer inpatient admissions and surgical procedures in 2019 and 2020 compared to those enrolled a health plan that did not participate in VBID in the same timeframe.

The CalPERS-sponsored health plans that participated in VBID used two financial interventions for all members to encourage them to increase use of routine primary care and to participate in annual health screenings, seek second opinions for elective surgeries, and participate in disease management programs. A third intervention was for expectant mothers to encourage . . .