Final answer:
The referral to a case manager for a patient with asthma is for the coordination of long-term care interventions due to the chronic nature of the disease and the aim to improve management and reduce hospital admissions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The purpose of referring a patient with a long history of asthma to a case manager for disease management is best described by option "a. Chronic and costly disease conditions that require long-term care interventions." This approach highlights that asthma is a chronic condition that can lead to repeated hospital admissions and requires ongoing management to properly control symptoms and prevent complications. The role of the case manager would be to coordinate various long-term care interventions, facilitate access to necessary healthcare services, educate the patient on proper disease management, and support them in managing their condition to improve outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Option "d" is incorrect because the need for a case manager doesn't necessarily imply a change from physician to an advanced practice nurse, but rather an addition of a case manager to the healthcare team to aid in comprehensive care.