Chronic kidney disease, or CKD, can be costly for those who have it and for health care plans alike. It’s also affecting a growing number of people.
An estimated 37 million adults in the U.S. currently live with CKD1. This ranges from having low kidney function to diabetes, high blood pressure or severe kidney disease.
What makes kidney disease so difficult to manage? Often, stages of illness occur without any symptoms. In fact, about 90 percent of people with kidney disease don’t know they have it2. Complications can also develop slowly and lead to other health problems, including heart disease or kidney failure.
Treatments, including dialysis or kidney transplants, are very expensive. So, managing CKD can create a financial burden for patients and their families and really stretch health care dollars.
Choosing a comprehensive solution
CKD Case Management, part of our Medical Management Program, supports members while also assisting with cost savings for plan sponsors. The program is URAC-accredited and guides members through all stages of kidney disease.
How does it work? First, members in an employee population needing support are identified. Then, specialized case managers work closely with members and their families to assure they have access to high-quality, affordable care. Our case managers are registered nurses and licensed social workers.
They’ll focus on:
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- Giving personalized support to plan members and their families.
- Providing ongoing education on condition management and healthier living.
- Informing members about treatment options.
- Helping to find high-quality, affordable and in-network care.
- Facilitating interactions with members, physicians and care facilities.
- Achieving cost savings by avoiding unnecessary medical expenses.
If members are already undergoing treatment for kidney disease, they can enroll in CKD Case Management by calling the number on the back of their Meritain Health® ID card.
Contact your Meritain Health representative to learn more.
Sources:
1, 2 https://www.kidney.org/news/newsroom/fsindex#fast-facts
