Evaluation of the Business Case for Quality, Phase II

The Business Case for Quality, Phase II (BCQII) initiative sought to develop targeted, rigorous, and actionable evidence on improvements in the quality of care and the return on investment (ROI) that may be generated to multiple stakeholders if financial incentives are aligned and health care delivery changed to improve care for Medicaid beneficiaries with chronic medical conditions—in this case, children with asthma. BCQII was sponsored by the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Commonwealth Fund. Based on a competitive process, three grantees— (1) a partnership between the Alameda Alliance for Health and the Children’s Hospital and Research Center at Oakland (Alameda-CHRCO), (2) Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (Cincinnati Children’s), and (3) the Monroe Plan for Medical Care (Monroe Plan)—were selected to participate. Applicants proposed specific interventions consistent with existing evidence and agreed to participate in a research study structured to determine the impact of their interventions and their ROI.