National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
Results
1 to 25 of 80 Research Studies DisplayedEliason EL, Agostino J, Vivier P
Infant health care disruptions by race and ethnicity, income, and insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This cross-sectional study examined the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on infant health care, and broke it down by race and ethnicity, income, and insurance type. This study used the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System COVID-19 supplement with data from 29 jurisdictions to examine infant health care disruptions due to the pandemic: 1) well visits/checkups canceled or delayed, 2) well visits/checkups changed to virtual appointments, and 3) postponed immunizations. The authors found that among 12,053 parental respondents with infants born from April to December 2020, 7.25% reported cancelations or delays in infant well visits/checkups, 5.49% reported changes to virtual infant care appointments, and 5.33% reported postponing immunizations, with significant differences by race and ethnicity, income, and insurance type. They found higher odds of canceling/delaying visits and postponing immunizations among non-Hispanic Black infants and infants whose parents were uninsured or had Medicaid-paid deliveries. The odds of switching to virtual appointments was also significantly higher among Hispanic infants and infants whose parents had Medicaid-paid deliveries.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Eliason EL, Agostino J, Vivier P .
Infant health care disruptions by race and ethnicity, income, and insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Acad Pediatr 2024 Jan-Feb; 24(1):105-10. doi: 10.1016/j.acap.2023.07.005..
Keywords: Newborns/Infants, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, COVID-19, Access to Care, Uninsured, Health Insurance, Healthcare Delivery
Zachrison KS, Hsia RY, Schwamm LH
Insurance-based disparities in stroke center access in california: a network science approach.
The purpose of this study was to examine whether there is a relationship between ischemic stroke patient insurance and probability of transfer to a stroke center overall as well as whether hospital cluster modified the relationship between insurance and likelihood of stroke center transfer. The study included 332,995 total ischemic stroke encounters, with 3.5% transferred from the initial ED. The study found that of 52,316 participants presenting to a non-stroke center, 7.1% were transferred. Compared to privately insured patients, there were lower odds of transfer and of transfer to a stroke center among all groups. Within the 14 identified hospital clusters, there was variation in insurance-based disparities in transfer. The largest hospital was also the lowest performing cluster which fully explained the insurance-based disparity in odds of stroke center transfer. The study concluded that uninsured patients had lower stroke center access through transfer than patients with insurance, with the variation primarily explained by patterns in 1 specific hospital cluster.
AHRQ-funded; HS024561.
Citation: Zachrison KS, Hsia RY, Schwamm LH .
Insurance-based disparities in stroke center access in california: a network science approach.
Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes 2023 Oct; 16(10):e009868. doi: 10.1161/circoutcomes.122.009868..
Keywords: Access to Care, Stroke, Cardiovascular Conditions, Disparities, Health Insurance, Uninsured
Smith K, Padmanabhan P, Chen A
The impacts of the 340B Program on health care quality for low-income patients.
This study’s objective was to assess the effects of hospital 340B eligibility on quality of inpatient care provided to Medicaid and uninsured patients and for all patients. HCUP State Inpatient Data, Hospital Cost Reporting Information System Data, Office of Pharmacy Affairs Information System Data, and the American Hospital Association Annual Survey were all used to extract inpatient data from general acute care hospitals from 2008 to 2014 in 15 states. Data was linked on hospital 340B eligibility and participation. The authors did not find discontinuities in inpatient care quality across the Program eligibility threshold for Medicaid and uninsured patients; specifically, on all-cause mortality, 30-day readmission rates, or other measures. Among insured and non-Medicaid patients, they found discontinuities for acute myocardial infarction and postoperative sepsis mortality.
AHRQ-funded; HS026980.
Citation: Smith K, Padmanabhan P, Chen A .
The impacts of the 340B Program on health care quality for low-income patients.
Health Serv Res 2023 Oct; 58(5):1089-97. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.14204..
Keywords: Low-Income, Hospitals, Vulnerable Populations, Medicaid, Uninsured, Inpatient Care, Quality of Care
Eliason E, Admon LK, Steenland MW
Late postpartum coverage loss before COVID-19: implications for Medicaid unwinding.
The purpose of this study was to explore the loss of Medicaid coverage in toward the end of the postpartum period prior to COVID-19 and describe the implications for Medicaid unwinding. The researchers utilized unique Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System follow-up data from prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found that only 68% of enrollees in prenatal Medicaid maintained continuous Medicaid coverage through 9 or 10 months postpartum. Of the total prenatal Medicaid enrollees who lost their coverage in the early postpartum period, two-thirds continued to be uninsured 9 to 10 months postpartum. The researchers concluded that extensions to state postpartum Medicaid could prevent a return to postpartum coverage loss rates similar to the level in the prepandemic period.
AHRQ-funded; HS027464; HS000011.
Citation: Eliason E, Admon LK, Steenland MW .
Late postpartum coverage loss before COVID-19: implications for Medicaid unwinding.
Health Aff 2023 Jul; 42(7):966-72. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2022.01659..
Keywords: COVID-19, Maternal Care, Medicaid, Women, Access to Care, Uninsured, Health Insurance
Frenier C, McIntyre A
Insurance coverage transitions after disenrollment from Medicaid in Minnesota.
The transition of health insurance following withdrawal from Medicaid is an under-explored area of study. This is particularly significant with the impending cessation of Medicaid's continuous coverage policy due to pandemic relief measures, a shift that is predicted to affect about 18 million individuals. The purpose of this study was to analyze the pattern of insurance transition post-Medicaid disenrollment, specifically in a state where Medicaid expansion was adopted and continuous coverage and eligibility policies were relatively liberal. The study cohort was derived from the Minnesota All Payer Claims Database (MN APCD), with a focus on residents aged 64 or less, who had experienced Medicaid enrollment cessation between January 2018 and February 2019. The final sample included 346,734 cases of Medicaid disenrollment. The study found that approximately 50% of individuals who disenrolled from Medicaid in Minnesota were without observable coverage six months later, with a significant percentage returning to Medicaid within a year. It was also observed that many enrollees didn't transition seamlessly to new coverage, indicating that a meaningful proportion of disenrollment may have occurred among those who were still eligible for Medicaid or experienced short-term changes in eligibility that didn't last for an entire year.
AHRQ-funded; HS017589.
Citation: Frenier C, McIntyre A .
Insurance coverage transitions after disenrollment from Medicaid in Minnesota.
JAMA Netw Open 2023 Apr 3; 6(4):e239379. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.9379..
Keywords: Health Insurance, Medicaid, Uninsured
Meille G, Post B
AHRQ Author: Meille G
The effects of the Medicaid expansion on hospital utilization, employment, and capital.
This AHRQ-authored paper describes the effect of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion on hospital utilization, employment, and capital. The authors conducted a difference-in-differences analysis that compared changes to hospital demand and supply in Medicaid expansion and nonexpansion states. They used 2010-2016 data from the American Hospital Association and the Healthcare Cost Report Information System to quantify changes to hospital utilization and characterize how hospitals adjusted labor and capital inputs. Medicaid expansion was associated with increases in emergency department visits and other outpatient hospital visits. They found strong evidence that hospitals met increases in demand by hiring nursing staff and weaker evidence that they increased hiring of technicians and investments in equipment. They found no evidence that hospitals adjusted hiring of physicians, support staff, or investments in other capital inputs.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Meille G, Post B .
The effects of the Medicaid expansion on hospital utilization, employment, and capital.
Med Care Res Rev 2023 Apr;80(2):165-74. doi: 10.1177/10775587221133165.
Keywords: Medicaid, Hospitals, Healthcare Utilization, Health Insurance, Policy, Access to Care, Uninsured
Chu J, Roby DH, Boudreaux MH
Effects of the Children's Health Insurance Reauthorization Act on immigrant children's healthcare access.
The purpose of this study was to estimate the effects of the Children's Health Insurance Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) on insurance coverage, access, utilization, and health outcomes among immigrant children. The researchers utilized the restricted use 2000-2016 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)with a sample which included immigrant children between the ages of 0 and 18 born outside the United States, with family income below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). The study found that CHIPRA was related with a decrease in uninsured rates and an increase in public insurance enrollment for immigrant children. The effects of CHIPRA became small and statistically not significant 3 years after adoption. The researchers found no significant changes in health care access and utilization, and health outcomes, overall and across subgroups due to CHIPRA. The researchers concluded that the eligibility expansion of CHIPRA was related with increases in public insurance coverage for low-income children. However, no effect of CHIPRA on access to care and health was found.
AHRQ-funded; HS028532.
Citation: Chu J, Roby DH, Boudreaux MH .
Effects of the Children's Health Insurance Reauthorization Act on immigrant children's healthcare access.
Health Serv Res 2022 Dec;57(suppl 2):315-25. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.14061..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Health Insurance, Access to Care, Vulnerable Populations, Uninsured
Behr CL, Hull P, Hsu J
Geographic access to federally qualified health centers before and after the Affordable Care Act.
Funding for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) increased with the advent of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The purpose of this study was to define FQHC service areas based on patient use and examine the characteristics of areas that gained FQHC access post-ACA. The researchers first defined FQHC service areas using total patient counts by ZIP code from the Uniform Data System (UDS) and then compared that approach with other methods. The authors then compared the characteristics of ZIP codes from Medically Underserved Areas/ Populations (MUA/Ps) that gained access to FQHCs between 2011-2015, with MUA/P ZIP codes that did not gain access to FQHCs during that same time period. The study found that FQHC service areas based on the UDS data included a larger percentage of FQHC patients and a higher use of FQHCs among low-income residents, on average, than Primary Care Service Areas or counties. The researchers also discovered that MUA/Ps that gained access to an FQHC between 2011 and 2015 included more poor, publicly insured, uninsured, and foreign born residents than underserved areas that did not gain access. The study concluded that measures of actual patient use are a useful method of assessing FQHC service areas and access.
AHRQ-funded; HS025378.
Citation: Behr CL, Hull P, Hsu J .
Geographic access to federally qualified health centers before and after the Affordable Care Act.
BMC Health Serv Res 2022 Mar 23;22(1):385. doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-07685-0..
Keywords: Access to Care, Uninsured, Vulnerable Populations
Porteny T, Ponce N, Sommers BD
Immigrants and the Affordable Care Act: changes in coverage and access to care by documentation status.
This study used data from the California Health Interview Survey (2003-2016) to compare changes in health coverage and access to care among immigrants in California before and after the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The authors found that the ACA has led to major gains in coverage for lawful permanent residents in California, but unauthorized immigrants experienced only modest increases in coverage. This result widened the disparity in uninsured rates for unauthorized immigrants relative to citizens considerably since 2014.
AHRQ-funded; HS000055.
Citation: Porteny T, Ponce N, Sommers BD .
Immigrants and the Affordable Care Act: changes in coverage and access to care by documentation status.
J Immigr Minor Health 2022 Feb;24(1):86-94. doi: 10.1007/s10903-020-01124-0..
Keywords: Access to Care, Health Insurance, Uninsured, Vulnerable Populations
Chang L, Rees CA, Michelson KA
Association of socioeconomic characteristics with where children receive emergency care.
This study’s objective was to characterize national associations of neighborhood income and insurance type for children with the characteristics of emergency departments (EDs) from which they receive care. The authors conducted a cross-sectional study of ED visits by children from 2014 to 2017 using the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample. Emergency department characteristics were characterized by pediatric volume category. There was a total of 107.6 million ED visits from 2014 to 2017. Children outside of the wealthiest neighborhood income quartile had lower proportions of visits to high-volume pediatric EDs and greater proportions of visits to low-volume pediatric EDs than children in the wealthiest quartile. Publicly insured children were modestly more likely to visit higher-volume pediatric EDs than privately insurance and uninsured children. This association appears to be principally driven by urban-rural differences in access to pediatric emergency care.
AHRQ-funded; HS026503.
Citation: Chang L, Rees CA, Michelson KA .
Association of socioeconomic characteristics with where children receive emergency care.
Pediatr Emerg Care 2022 Jan;38(1):e264-e67. doi: 10.1097/pec.0000000000002244..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Children/Adolescents, Emergency Department, Health Insurance, Uninsured, Low-Income
Lewis VA, Spivack S, Murray GF
FQHC designation and safety net patient revenue associated with primary care practice capabilities for access and quality.
Researchers assessed capabilities around access to and quality of care among primary care practices serving a high share of Medicaid and uninsured patients compared to practices serving a low share of these patients. Data from the National Survey of Healthcare Organizations and Systems was analyzed. They found that federally qualified health centers were more likely than other types of primary care practices (both safety net practices and other practices) to possess capabilities related to access and quality. However, safety net practices were less likely than non-safety net practices to possess health information technology capabilities.
AHRQ-funded; HS024075.
Citation: Lewis VA, Spivack S, Murray GF .
FQHC designation and safety net patient revenue associated with primary care practice capabilities for access and quality.
J Gen Intern Med 2021 Oct;36(10):2922-28. doi: 10.1007/s11606-021-06746-0..
Keywords: Vulnerable Populations, Primary Care, Access to Care, Uninsured, Medicaid, Quality of Care
Berdahl TA, Moriya AS
AHRQ Author: Berdahl TA, Moriya AS
Insurance coverage for non-standard workers: experiences of temporary workers, freelancers, and part-time workers in the USA, 2010-2017.
This AHRQ-authored paper estimates insurance disparities across non-standard employment categories and determines how coverage disparities shifted following health reform in 2014. Data on working-age adults was analyzed from the 2010-2012 and 2015-2017 MEPS. Uninsurance decreased after health reform for all groups of nonstandard workers with a 10-14% point decline. Uninsurance remained high for all freelance workers at 30.8%, full-time temporary workers (25.1%) and part-time workers (17.9%) compared to full-time workers (11.9%). Lower uninsurance in a Medicaid expansion state was found for all categories of workers.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Berdahl TA, Moriya AS .
Insurance coverage for non-standard workers: experiences of temporary workers, freelancers, and part-time workers in the USA, 2010-2017.
J Gen Intern Med 2021 Jul;36(7):1997-2003. doi: 10.1007/s11606-021-06700-0..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Health Insurance, Policy, Uninsured, Medicaid, Low-Income
Hatch B, Hoopes M, Darney BG
Impacts of the Affordable Care Act on receipt of women's preventive services in Community Health Centers in Medicaid expansion and nonexpansion states.
Researchers assessed whether ACA implementation and Medicaid expansion were followed by greater receipt of recommended preventive services among women and girls in a large network of community health centers. Data was collected from electronic health records in 14 states. The researchers found that among female patients at community health centers, receipt of recommended preventive care improved after ACA implementation in both Medicaid expansion and non-expansion states, although the overall rates remained low. They recommended continued support to overcome barriers to preventive care in this population.
AHRQ-funded; HS025155.
Citation: Hatch B, Hoopes M, Darney BG .
Impacts of the Affordable Care Act on receipt of women's preventive services in Community Health Centers in Medicaid expansion and nonexpansion states.
Womens Health Issues 2021 Jan-Feb;31(1):9-16. doi: 10.1016/j.whi.2020.08.011..
Keywords: Cancer, Medicaid, Health Insurance, Uninsured, Access to Care, Policy, Cancer: Cervical Cancer, Prevention, Women, Healthcare Utilization
Hudson JL, Moriya AS
AHRQ Author: Hudson JL
The role of marketplace policy on welcome mat effects for children eligible for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program.
This study examined the role of marketplace policy on “welcome mat” effects for children eligible for Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Data from the American Community Survey from 2013-2018 was used to estimate the relationship between Marketplace policy and increases in Medicaid/CHIP coverage among pre-ACA eligible children after the implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The sample included non-disabled citizen children ages 0-18 at 139-250% federal poverty level who were Medicaid/CHIP-eligible before and after implementation of the ACA. Marketplace policies and enrollment were compared in expansion states versus non-expansion states. Public coverage did increase more in states that empowered their Marketplace to enroll publicly-eligible applicants directly into Medicaid/CHIP. This was driven by enrollment policy, not by choice of state-based versus federal-based Marketplaces. Welcome mats were largest in expansion states and increases ranged from 9 to 13 percentage points in enrollment.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Hudson JL, Moriya AS .
The role of marketplace policy on welcome mat effects for children eligible for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program.
Inquiry 2020 Jan-Dec;57:46958020952920. doi: 10.1177/0046958020952920..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicaid, Health Insurance, Policy, Uninsured, Access to Care
Cha P, Brindis CD
Early Affordable Care Act Medicaid: coverage effects for low- and moderate-income young adults.
This study examined the effects of early Medicaid expansions on low- and moderate-income young adults. They used the American Community Survey 2008-2013 to study three early expansion states: California, Connecticut and Minnesota. Results shows that Medicaid expansion reduced uninsurance in all three states and increased public insurance in California and Minnesota. Young men benefitted more than young women, who historically tend to be uninsured.
AHRQ-funded; HS022241.
Citation: Cha P, Brindis CD .
Early Affordable Care Act Medicaid: coverage effects for low- and moderate-income young adults.
J Adolesc Health 2020 Sep;67(3):425-31. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.05.029..
Keywords: Young Adults, Policy, Medicaid, Uninsured, Access to Care
Zuvekas SH, McClellan CB, Ali MM
AHRQ Author: Zuvekas SH, McClellan CB
Medicaid expansion and health insurance coverage and treatment utilization among individuals with a mental health condition.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Zuvekas SH, McClellan CB, Ali MM .
Medicaid expansion and health insurance coverage and treatment utilization among individuals with a mental health condition.
J Ment Health Policy Econ 2020 Sep 1;23(3):151-82..
Keywords: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), Behavioral Health, Medicaid, Health Insurance, Access to Care, Healthcare Utilization, Policy, Uninsured
Porter A, Brown CC, Tilford JM
Association of insurance status with treatment and outcomes in pediatric patients with severe traumatic brain injury.
This study’s objective was to determine if a health insurance disparity exists among pediatric patients with severe traumatic brain injury using data from the National Trauma Data Bank. The Bank contains data from more than 800 trauma centers in the United States. Isolated traumatic brain injury was defined as patients with a head Abbreviated Injury Scale score of 3+. Procedure codes were used to identify four primary treatment approaches combined into 2 classifications: craniotomy or craniectomy and external or intracranial ventricular draining. Condition at admission was defined including hypotension, Glasgow Coma Scale, mechanism and intent of injury, and Injury Severity Scale. Among the cohort of 12,449 patients, 91% had insurance and 9% were uninsured. Children without insurance had worse condition at admission with higher rates of hypotension and higher Injury Severity Score when compared with publicly and privately insured patients. Having insurance was associated with a 32% increase in the odds of cranial procedures, and 54% increase in the odds of monitor placement. Insurance coverage was associated 25% lower odds of inpatient mortality. Further study is needed to determine what factors lead to worse condition at admission.
Citation: Porter A, Brown CC, Tilford JM .
Association of insurance status with treatment and outcomes in pediatric patients with severe traumatic brain injury.
Crit Care Med 2020 Jul;48(7):e584-e91. doi: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000004398..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Brain Injury, Trauma, Health Insurance, Access to Care, Uninsured, Outcomes
Darney BG, Biel FM, Rodriguez MI
Payment for contraceptive services in safety net clinics: roles of Affordable Care Act, Title X, and state programs.
This study examined trends in uninsured contraceptive visits before and after Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in a large network of safety-net clinics. Their sample included 237 safety net clinics in 11 states with a common electronic health record. The authors identified 162,666 contraceptive visits in 219 clinics and found a significant decline in uninsured visits. There was a slightly greater decline in expansion states than in non-expansion states.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981; HS025155.
Citation: Darney BG, Biel FM, Rodriguez MI .
Payment for contraceptive services in safety net clinics: roles of Affordable Care Act, Title X, and state programs.
Med Care 2020 May;58(5):453-60. doi: 10.1097/mlr.0000000000001309..
Keywords: Sexual Health, Policy, Uninsured, Women
Tilhou AS, Huguet N, DeVoe J
The Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion positively impacted community health centers and their patients.
In this paper, the investigators summarized their results to-date as experts in investigating the impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion on Community Health Centers (CHCs) and the patients they serve. They found the ACA Medicaid expansion increased access to care and preventive services, primarily in Medicaid expansion states. Rates of physical and mental health conditions rose substantially from pre- to post-ACA in expansion states, suggesting underdiagnosis pre-ACA.
AHRQ-funded; HS024270.
Citation: Tilhou AS, Huguet N, DeVoe J .
The Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion positively impacted community health centers and their patients.
J Gen Intern Med 2020 Apr;35(4):1292-95. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-05571-w..
Keywords: Policy, Medicaid, Access to Care, Uninsured, Health Insurance
Ellis RJ, Schlick CJR, Feinglass J
Failure to administer recommended chemotherapy: acceptable variation or cancer care quality blind spot?
This study examined hospital variation in cancer patients who did not receive recommended chemotherapy. Patients with breast, colon, and lung cancers who did not receive chemotherapy from 2000 to 2015 were identified from the National Cancer Database. A total of 183,148 patients at 1281 hospitals were included. For breast cancer, 3.5% of patients failed to receive recommended chemotherapy, and 6.6% with colon, and 10.7% with lung cancer. Sociodemographic factors showed that patients were less likely to receive chemotherapy if they were uninsured or on Medicaid, as were non-Hispanic black patients with both breast and colon cancer. There was also significant hospital variation with failure to administer as high as 21.8% for breast, 40.2% for colon, and 40.0% for lung cancer.
AHRQ-funded; HS000078; HS026385.
Citation: Ellis RJ, Schlick CJR, Feinglass J .
Failure to administer recommended chemotherapy: acceptable variation or cancer care quality blind spot?
BMJ Qual Saf 2020 Feb;29(2):103-12. doi: 10.1136/bmjqs-2019-009742..
Keywords: Treatments, Cancer, Healthcare Delivery, Access to Care, Healthcare Utilization, Social Determinants of Health, Vulnerable Populations, Uninsured, Hospitals, Quality of Care
DeLia D, Yedidia MJ
The policy and practice legacy of the New Jersey Medicaid ACO Demonstration Project.
This paper examined the New Jersey Medicaid Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Demonstration and what was learned from the Demonstration. The Demonstration did not lead to a sustainable accountable care financing model as hoped for. Instead, the ACOs evolved into community health coalitions focused on a wide range of activities in partnership with state government, private health systems, community leaders, and MCOs. Policy parameters are currently being developed by the state to reposition the ACOs as regional partners to implement state-directed population health initiatives.
AHRQ-funded; HS023493.
Citation: DeLia D, Yedidia MJ .
The policy and practice legacy of the New Jersey Medicaid ACO Demonstration Project.
J Ambul Care Manage 2020 Jan/Mar;43(1):2-10. doi: 10.1097/jac.0000000000000308..
Keywords: Medicaid, Policy, Health Insurance, Uninsured
Nguyen KH, Trivedi AN
Asian American access to care in the Affordable Care Act era: findings from a population-based survey in California.
This study compared coverage and access to care between non-Hispanic White and Asian American adults after the ACA in California. The data was disaggregated into the five most populous ethnic subgroups (Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Vietnamese, and Japanese). The outcomes measured were 1) being uninsured, 2) having a usual source of care, 3) delaying necessary medical care, and 4) delaying necessary prescription medications. The sample included 19,201 non-Hispanic White and 3077 Asian American adults aged 18 to 64 in California. Koreans were significantly less likely to report a usual source of care relative to non-Hispanic whites while Chinese and Vietnamese adults were significantly less likely to delay necessary care.
AHRQ-funded; HS000011.
Citation: Nguyen KH, Trivedi AN .
Asian American access to care in the Affordable Care Act era: findings from a population-based survey in California.
J Gen Intern Med 2019 Nov;34(11):2660-68. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-05328-5..
Keywords: Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Access to Care, Disparities, Health Insurance, Uninsured, Policy
Rasmussen PW, Kominski GF
Sources of success in California's individual marketplace under the Affordable Care Act.
When passed in 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) became the greatest piece of health care reform in the United States since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid. In the 9 years since its passage, the law has ushered in a drastic decrease in the number of uninsured Americans and has encouraged delivery system innovation. Although, the ACA has not been uniformly embraced, California has been a leader. In this paper, the authors discuss sources of success in California's individual marketplace under the Affordable Care Act.
AHRQ-funded; HS000046.
Citation: Rasmussen PW, Kominski GF .
Sources of success in California's individual marketplace under the Affordable Care Act.
J Health Polit Policy Law 2019 Aug 1;44(4):679-706. doi: 10.1215/03616878-7530849..
Keywords: Policy, Health Insurance, Uninsured, Medicaid, Medicare
Pickens G, Karaca Z, Gibson TB
AHRQ Author: Karaca Z, Wong HS
Changes in hospital service demand, cost, and patient illness severity following health reform.
This study examined the effects of expanded Medicaid coverage and the health insurance exchange on the number of hospital inpatient and emergency department (ED) utilization rates, cost, and patient illness severity. There was a significant drop in uninsured inpatient discharges and ED visits in states where Medicaid was expanded. For all by young females, uninsured inpatient discharge rates fell by 39% or greater. In nonexpansion states, the rates remained unchanged or increased slightly. Changes in all-payer and private insurance rates were not as dramatic, as was inpatient costs per discharge and all-payer inpatient costs.
AHRQ-authored; AHRQ-funded; 290201300002C.
Citation: Pickens G, Karaca Z, Gibson TB .
Changes in hospital service demand, cost, and patient illness severity following health reform.
Health Serv Res 2019 Aug;54(4):739-51. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13165..
Keywords: Access to Care, Health Insurance, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Utilization, Hospitals, Medicaid, Policy, Uninsured
Agarwal SD, Goldman AL, Sommers BD
Blue-collar workers had greatest insurance gains after ACA implementation.
The authors analyzed national survey data and found that workers in traditionally blue-collar industries experienced the largest gains in health insurance after implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2014. They found that, compared to other occupations, this group had lower employer-based coverage rates before the ACA. Most of the post-ACA coverage gains came from Medicaid and directly-purchased non-group insurance.
AHRQ-funded.
Citation: Agarwal SD, Goldman AL, Sommers BD .
Blue-collar workers had greatest insurance gains after ACA implementation.
Health Aff 2019 Jul;38(7):1140-44. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05454..
Keywords: Health Insurance, Policy, Access to Care, Uninsured