The economic and human costs of diabetes in the U.S. population place an enormous burden on its healthcare system as well as on employers, diabetics, and their respective families. Many Medicare Advantage plans have responded to this burden by implementing diabetes case management programs (DCMPs) aimed at reducing inappropriate health services utilization, improving health outcomes, and containing costs. While the use of DCMPs is common to many health plans, the research regarding their effectiveness has been sparse or inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to help fill a critical gap in the research literature by evaluating the effect of a diabetes case management program known as CareContact on a Medicare population in Texas. The study population consisted of 2,972 confirmed diabetic members who were continuously enrolled in SelectCare of Texas, a Medicare Advantage plan, for the two-year period between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2006. To be eligible for this study,...