Medicaid and third-party liability: using information to achieve program goals.

With Medicaid programs in most States coming under ever-increasing fiscal pressures, the issue of third-party liability is receiving more attention and scrutiny. A relatively small investment in determining health insurance coverage can yield significant savings. In New York State's program, counties are compared and ranked to give a view of how well they are succeeding in identifying eligibles with third-party coverage. In addition, health insurance premiums are analyzed to determine if policies are cost effective. Other jurisdictions may benefit from this approach to program evaluation and enhancement.