Evaluating ROI in state disease management programs.

Therefore, choosing to spend money on DM is truly an investment that is hypothesized to lead to a return at a later time. DM programs are designed to encourage prevention and regular monitoring of patients with chronic disease—which, in turn, is thought to improve health and consequently lower health care resource use. If the fees that states must pay to develop a DM program, or to hire a vendor to implement one, are less than the money they save from decreases in the use of inpatient and outpatient care, prescription drugs, and other services, then states have earned a positive return on investment (ROI).