Federally funded sexually transmitted disease programs and managed care: a review of current and planned partnerships.
BACKGROUND: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requested that sexually transmitted disease (STD) programs report their current activities and plans to collaborate with managed care organizations in their 1999 applications for federal funding. GOAL: To review CDC STD program applications for funding to assess the number of activities between STD programs and managed care organizations. METHODS: Narrative data on managed care topics were abstracted from 59 funding applications (50 states, 7 cites or counties, and 2 US territories), using standard qualitative methods. A coding system was applied to categorize each managed care activity into one of nine categories (interrater reliability, 93%). An expert panel ranked activities by complexity, and these scores were used to develop an overall complexity score for each program. RESULTS: All but 9 of the 59 applicants reported managed care organization activities. Altogether, 208 activities were specifically documented, 45% of which were classified as operational in 1999. The most frequently reported activities involved gathering and giving information and promoting STD care through legislation and state Medicaid activities. CONCLUSIONS: Considerable information transfer and policy action between STD programs and managed care organizations are taking place. Further integration of services and policies should be studied and encouraged to promote the effective treatment of STD.