States need better data to meet the needs of Medicaid recipients with complex medical needs, according to the National Governors Association (NGA).

national governors associationOne of the biggest costs in state Medicaid programs is “super-utilizers”: patients who consume a significant amount of health care services. Although relatively few in number, these patients account for a significant proportion of state Medicaid expenditures.

The group’s conclusion is based on the NGA Center for Best Practices’ experience working with seven states to find better ways to meet the needs of these patients with better but less-expensive care.

According to the report,

Before state leaders can begin to address their super-utilizer populations, they first need to understand who those patients are, how they use the health care system, and how the state might adapt its system to meet patient needs.

To do this, state Medicaid programs need more and better data so they can

  • understand the characteristics of complex populations
  • identify and target specific patients
  • ensure effective management and evaluation

Private safety-net hospitals routinely serve significant numbers of such patients.

To learn more about the NGA’s recommendation and how it reached it, go here to see its report Using Data to Better Serve the Most Complex Patients: Highlights from NGA’s Intensive Work with Seven States.