Osteoporosis is responsible for an estimated two million broken bones per year, yet nearly 80% of older Americans who suffer bone breaks are not tested or treated for it. Women are especially at risk, since they can lose up to 20% of their bone density in five to seven years after menopause.
During Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month this May, health plans should look to explore how to close gaps in care related to osteoporosis. Scheduling follow-up care after a fracture is a critical component to the HEDIS® and Star Ratings measures for osteoporosis, and members within the measure population who have experienced a fracture should have a bone mass density test or a prescription to treat osteoporosis within six months of the date of fracture. Since this measure often has a small denominator, ensuring this gap is closed for as many qualifying members as possible can significantly improve your measure scores. Plans should also pay attention to the Osteoporosis Screening in Older Women (OSW) HEDIS measure, which was added in 2020 to improve prevention efforts.
