Pfizer Says Disease Management Program ‘On Track’ to Save Florida Medicaid $33M

Pfizer is "on track" to saving Florida's Medicaid program $33 million through its disease management program by June 2003, the Orlando Sentinel reports. Under a deal with the state, Pfizer has provided money to 10 hospital systems to hire 55 care managers for Medicaid beneficiaries (Groeller, Orlando Sentinel, 9/9). The case managers help beneficiaries with asthma, diabetes and hypertension "manage their diseases better" by sending nurses on home visits, calling patients to confirm follow-up care, monitoring patients' medication-taking habits and encouraging patients to seek regular treatment from a primary care physician. Pfizer has guaranteed the program will save Florida $33 million over the next two years by preventing hospitalizations. In exchange, the state has added the pharmaceutical company's products to its preferred drug list without requiring the company to offer rebates (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 8/5). John Sory, vice president of Pfizer Health Solutions, said that it is still too early to tell exactly how much the program, which began last June, saved this year because hospitals have up to one year after treating a beneficiary to file a claim with Medicaid. Sory added, however, that the program shows initial signs of success. For instance, prior to the program, 21% of Medicaid beneficiaries with diabetes did not monitor their blood sugar levels when first contacted by care managers, but since the program began, that number has fallen to 5%. Further, home usage of machines used to measure the lung capacity of asthmatics has risen to 50% from 12% since the beginning of the program. "We are very pleased with our progress," Sory said, adding that the program so far has helped 12,000 beneficiaries (Orlando Sentinel, 9/9).