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 20 of 20 Research Studies DisplayedRoberts ET, Kwon Y, Hames AG
Racial and ethnic disparities in health care use and access associated with loss of Medicaid supplemental insurance eligibility above the federal poverty level.
The purpose of this study was to examine whether exceeding the income threshold for Medicaid, which causes a sudden loss of Medicaid eligibility, is related with higher racial and ethnic disparities in access to and use of care. The researchers evaluated Medicare beneficiaries with incomes 0% to 200% of FPL from the 2008 to 2018 biennial waves of the Health and Retirement Study linked to Medicare administrative data. To identify racial and ethnic disparities related with the loss of Medicaid eligibility, the researchers compared discontinuities in outcomes among Black and Hispanic beneficiaries and White beneficiaries. Analyses were conducted between January 1, 2022, and October 1, 2022. The primary outcomes were patient-reported challenges accessing care due to cost and outpatient service use, medication fills, and hospitalizations measured from Medicare administrative data. The study included 8,144 participants representing 151,282, 957 weighted person-years in the community-dwelling population of Medicare beneficiaries aged 50 years and older and incomes less than 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL). Study findings indicate that exceeding the Medicaid eligibility threshold was related with a 43.8 percentage point (pp) lower probability of Medicaid enrollment among Black and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries and a 31.0 pp lower probability of Medicaid enrollment among White beneficiaries. Among Black and Hispanic beneficiaries, exceeding the threshold was associated with increased cost-related barriers to care, lower outpatient use, and fewer medication fills, but it was not associated with a statistically significant discontinuity in hospitalizations. Discontinuities in these outcomes were smaller or nonsignificant among White beneficiaries. Consequently, exceeding the threshold was associated with widened disparities, including greater reductions in outpatient service use and medication fills among Black and Hispanic vs White beneficiaries.
AHRQ-funded; HS026727.
Citation: Roberts ET, Kwon Y, Hames AG .
Racial and ethnic disparities in health care use and access associated with loss of Medicaid supplemental insurance eligibility above the federal poverty level.
JAMA Intern Med 2023 Jun; 183(6):534-43. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2023.0512..
Keywords: Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Medicaid, Access to Care, Health Insurance, Low-Income, Access to Care
Moriya AS, Chakravarty S
AHRQ Author: Moriya AS
Racial and ethnic disparities in preventable hospitalizations and ED visits five years after ACA Medicaid expansions,.
This AHRQ-authored paper examined whether the 2014 Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansions mitigated existing racial or ethnic disparities in preventable hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits. The authors used inpatient data from twenty-nine states and ED data from twenty-six states for the period 2011 to 2018. They found that Medicaid expansions decreased disparities in preventable hospitalizations and ED visits between non-Hispanic Black and White nonelderly adults by 10 percent or more. There were no significant effects on disparities between Hispanic and non-Hispanic White nonelderly adults. Their findings highlight sustained improvements in community-level care for non-Hispanic Black populations, but also suggest access barriers experienced by Hispanic adults that need to be addressed beyond Medicaid eligibility expansion.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Moriya AS, Chakravarty S .
Racial and ethnic disparities in preventable hospitalizations and ED visits five years after ACA Medicaid expansions,.
Health Aff 2023 Jan; 42(1):26-34. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2022.00460..
Keywords: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP), Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Emergency Department, Hospitalization, Disparities, Medicaid, Health Insurance, Access to Care
Steenland MW, Wilson IB, Matteson KA
Association of Medicaid expansion in Arkansas with postpartum coverage, outpatient care, and racial disparities.
This study’s objective was to measure the association of Medicaid expansion in Arkansas with postpartum coverage, outpatient care, and racial disparities. A total of 60,990 childbirths were reviewed from January 1, 2014 on with a total of 72.3% paid for by Medicaid and 27.7% paid for by a commercial payer. The mean age of the birthing person was 27; with 67% White, 22% Black, and 7% Hispanic. Medicaid expansion in Arkansas was associated with a 27.8 percentage point increase in continuous insurance coverage and an increase in outpatient visits of 0.9 during the first 6 months postpartum, representing relative increases of 54.9% and 75.0%, respectively. Racial disparities in postpartum coverage decreased from 6.3 percentage points before expansion to -2.0 after. However, disparities in outpatient care after expansion persisted between Black and White individuals.
AHRQ-funded; HS027464.
Citation: Steenland MW, Wilson IB, Matteson KA .
Association of Medicaid expansion in Arkansas with postpartum coverage, outpatient care, and racial disparities.
JAMA Health Forum 2021 Dec;2(12):e214167. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2021.4167..
Keywords: Medicaid, Maternal Care, Pregnancy, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Policy, Women, Access to Care
Malhotra NA, Nevar A, Yearby R
Medicaid's EPSDT benefit: an opportunity to improve pediatric screening for social determinants of health.
This paper discusses the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPDST) benefit which is a key component of Medicaid policy intended to define an essential set of services provided to patients age 21 and younger. This qualitative review examines the extent to which EPSDT might be used to implement structured screening to identify environmental and social factors affecting children’s health. Semistructured interviews conducted in 2017 were triangulated with a review of the recent literature to describe how states currently consider the EPSDT benefit with respect to social determinants of health (SDOH) screening. Findings suggest that with sufficient stakeholder advocacy given the evidence supporting social determinants of health as “medically necessary”, EPSDT benefits could be considered as a funding source to incentivize the incorporation of SDOH screening into the basic package of well-child care.
AHRQ-funded; 233201600221A.
Citation: Malhotra NA, Nevar A, Yearby R .
Medicaid's EPSDT benefit: an opportunity to improve pediatric screening for social determinants of health.
Med Care Res Rev 2021 Apr;78(2):87-102. doi: 10.1177/1077558719874211..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Medicaid, Social Determinants of Health, Screening, Disparities, Policy
Li J, Pesko MF, Unruh MA
Effect of the Medicaid primary care rate increase on prenatal care utilization among Medicaid-insured women.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the 2013-2014 ACA Medicaid Primary Care Rate Increase on Medicaid-insured women's prenatal care utilization, overall and by race and ethnicity. The investigators concluded that the Medicaid "fee bump" improved prenatal care utilization for non-Hispanic Black and White women. They suggest that policymakers may consider reinstating higher Medicaid reimbursements to improve access to care for disadvantaged populations.
AHRQ-funded; HS024357.
Citation: Li J, Pesko MF, Unruh MA .
Effect of the Medicaid primary care rate increase on prenatal care utilization among Medicaid-insured women.
Matern Child Health J 2019 Nov;23(11):1564-72. doi: 10.1007/s10995-019-02804-6..
Keywords: Medicaid, Primary Care, Maternal Care, Pregnancy, Women, Healthcare Utilization, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities
Dy CJ, Tipping AD, Nickel KB
Variation in the delivery of inpatient orthopaedic care to Medicaid beneficiaries within a single metropolitan region.
This study examined rates of Medicaid-funded surgical procedures for orthopedic patients. The authors hypothesized that orthopedists and hospitals are often unwilling to perform surgery on underinsured patients. The payer mix was examined for select inpatient orthopedic surgical procedures within a single region, including elective cases (total knee or hip arthroplasty; spinal decompression or fusion) and trauma cases (hip hemiarthroplasty; femoral or tibial or fibular fracture repair) among 22 hospitals from 2011 to 2016 for patients aged 18 to 64 years. For all cases (n = 19,204) the mean percentage of Medicaid-funded surgical procedures was 7.6%. Elective surgery cases were 5.5% and trauma cases 14.7% which supports their beliefs about delivery rates of orthopedic care on the basis of socioeconomic markers.
AHRQ-funded; HS019455.
Citation: Dy CJ, Tipping AD, Nickel KB .
Variation in the delivery of inpatient orthopaedic care to Medicaid beneficiaries within a single metropolitan region.
J Bone Joint Surg Am 2019 Aug 21;101(16):1451-59. doi: 10.2106/jbjs.18.01198.
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Keywords: Orthopedics, Healthcare Delivery, Medicaid, Surgery, Access to Care, Disparities, Health Insurance
Gorges RJ, Sanghavi P, Konetzka RT
A national examination of long-term care setting, outcomes, and disparities among elderly dual eligibles.
The authors investigated the outcomes of expanding Medicaid funding for long-term care home and community-based services (HCBS). Using national Medicaid claims data on older adults enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid, they found that overall hospitalization rates were similar for HCBS and nursing facility users. They concluded that home and community-based services need to be carefully targeted to avoid adverse outcomes and that the racial/ethnic disparities in access to high-quality institutional long-term care are also present in HCBS.
AHRQ-funded; HS000084.
Citation: Gorges RJ, Sanghavi P, Konetzka RT .
A national examination of long-term care setting, outcomes, and disparities among elderly dual eligibles.
Health Aff 2019 Jul;38(7):1110-18. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05409..
Keywords: Elderly, Medicaid, Medicare, Long-Term Care, Home Healthcare, Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Angier H, Ezekiel-Herera D, Marino M
Racial/ethnic disparities in health insurance and differences in visit type for a population of patients with diabetes after Medicaid Expansion.
Racial/ethnic disparities in health insurance and differences in visit type for a population of patients with diabetes after Medicaid Expansion.
AHRQ-funded; HS024270.
Citation: Angier H, Ezekiel-Herera D, Marino M .
Racial/ethnic disparities in health insurance and differences in visit type for a population of patients with diabetes after Medicaid Expansion.
J Health Care Poor Underserved 2019;30(1):116-30. doi: 10.1353/hpu.2019.0011.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Diabetes, Disparities, Health Insurance, Medicaid, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Mehra R, Cunningham SD, Lewis JB
Recommendations for the pilot expansion of Medicaid coverage for doulas in New York state.
AHRQ-funded; HS017589.
Citation: Mehra R, Cunningham SD, Lewis JB .
Recommendations for the pilot expansion of Medicaid coverage for doulas in New York state.
Am J Public Health 2019 Feb;109(2):217-19. doi: 10.2105/ajph.2018.304797..
Keywords: Medicaid, Pregnancy, Maternal Care, Health Insurance, Healthcare Costs, Prevention, Women, Disparities
Farias AJ, Wu WH, Du XL
Racial differences in long-term adjuvant endocrine therapy adherence and mortality among Medicaid-insured breast cancer patients in Texas: findings from TCR-Medicaid linked data.
There are racial/ethnic disparities in breast cancer mortality that may be attributed to differences in receipt of adjuvant cancer treatment. The purpose of this article was to determine whether the mortality disparities could be explained by racial/ethnic differences in long-term adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET). The investigators concluded that long-term adherence in the Medicaid population was suboptimal and racial/ethnic differences in AET adherence may partially explain disparities in mortality.
AHRQ-funded; HS018956.
Citation: Farias AJ, Wu WH, Du XL .
Racial differences in long-term adjuvant endocrine therapy adherence and mortality among Medicaid-insured breast cancer patients in Texas: findings from TCR-Medicaid linked data.
BMC Cancer 2018 Dec 4;18(1):1214. doi: 10.1186/s12885-018-5121-z..
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Disparities, Medicaid, Patient Adherence/Compliance, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Barnett ML, Clark KL, Sommers BD
State policies and enrollees' experiences in Medicaid: evidence from a new national survey.
This study examined patient satisfaction among Medicaid enrollees nationally from 2014-2015. Significant disparities were found among racial/ethnic groups. Managed care enrollees had higher satisfaction ratings than those with fee-for-service. If the patient had a personal doctor that increased satisfaction for an average 4.6 percent.
AHRQ-funded; HS021291.
Citation: Barnett ML, Clark KL, Sommers BD .
State policies and enrollees' experiences in Medicaid: evidence from a new national survey.
Health Aff 2018 Oct;37(10):1647-55. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2018.0505..
Keywords: Access to Care, Disparities, Medicaid, Patient Experience, Policy, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Yucel A, Essien EJ, Sanyal S
Racial/ethnic differences in the treatment of adolescent major depressive disorders (MDD) across healthcare providers participating in the Medicaid program.
The purpose of this study was to examine whether racial/ethnic differences in receipt of major depressive disorder (MDD) treatment could be explained by the specialty of provider diagnosing the adolescent. The investigators found that for adolescents with MDD, being first diagnosed by a psychiatrist was associated with higher treatment rate and reduced racial/ethnic variation in the utilization of pharmacotherapy.
AHRQ-funded; HS025251.
Citation: Yucel A, Essien EJ, Sanyal S .
Racial/ethnic differences in the treatment of adolescent major depressive disorders (MDD) across healthcare providers participating in the Medicaid program.
J Affect Disord 2018 Aug 1;235:155-61. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.04.045..
Keywords: Access to Care, Depression, Disparities, Medicaid, Behavioral Health, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Farias AJ, Wu WH, Du XL
Racial and geographic disparities in adherence and discontinuation to adjuvant endocrine therapy in Texas Medicaid-insured patients with breast cancer.
The purpose of the study is to examine disparities in adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) adherence and discontinuation among Texas Medicaid-insured early-stage breast cancer patients. The studies concluded that patients from the Texas/Mexico border had higher odds of adherence compared to other regions. There are substantial racial and geographic disparities in AET adherence and discontinuation among Texas Medicaid-insured women.
AHRQ-funded; HS018956.
Citation: Farias AJ, Wu WH, Du XL .
Racial and geographic disparities in adherence and discontinuation to adjuvant endocrine therapy in Texas Medicaid-insured patients with breast cancer.
Med Oncol 2018 Jun 20;35(7):113. doi: 10.1007/s12032-018-1168-6..
Keywords: Cancer: Breast Cancer, Disparities, Medicaid, Patient Adherence/Compliance, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Davis MM, Renfro S, Pham R
Geographic and population-level disparities in colorectal cancer testing: a multilevel analysis of Medicaid and commercial claims data.
This study used Medicaid and commercial claims data to examine individual and geographic factors associated with colorectal cancer testing rates in Oregon. CRC testing in newly age-eligible Medicaid and commercial members remains markedly low. Disparities exist by gender, geographic residence, insurance coverage, and access to primary care.
AHRQ-funded; HS022981.
Citation: Davis MM, Renfro S, Pham R .
Geographic and population-level disparities in colorectal cancer testing: a multilevel analysis of Medicaid and commercial claims data.
Prev Med 2017 Aug;101:44-52. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2017.05.001.
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Keywords: Cancer: Colorectal Cancer, Colonoscopy, Disparities, Medicaid, Social Determinants of Health
Lipton BJ, Wherry LR, Miller S
AHRQ Author: Lipton BJ, Decker S
Previous Medicaid expansion may have had lasting positive effects on oral health of non-Hispanic black children.
The researchers estimated the relationship between adult oral health and the extent of state public health insurance eligibility for pregnant women, infants, and children throughout childhood separately for non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, and Hispanics. They found that expanded Medicaid coverage geared toward pregnant women and children during their first year of life was linked to better oral health in adulthood among non-Hispanic blacks.
AHRQ-authored.
Citation: Lipton BJ, Wherry LR, Miller S .
Previous Medicaid expansion may have had lasting positive effects on oral health of non-Hispanic black children.
Health Aff 2016 Dec;35(12):2249-58. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2016.0865.
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Keywords: Medicaid, Dental and Oral Health, Children/Adolescents, Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Creedon TB, Cook BL
Access to mental health care increased but not for substance use, while disparities remain.
The researchers assessed whether early implementation of Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion and state health insurance exchanges increased access to mental health and substance use treatment among those in need and whether these changes differed by racial/ethnic group. They found that mental health treatment rates increased significantly but found no evidence of a reduction in the wide racial/ethnic disparities in mental health treatment that preceded ACA expansion from 2005 to 2013.
AHRQ-funded; HS021486.
Citation: Creedon TB, Cook BL .
Access to mental health care increased but not for substance use, while disparities remain.
Health Aff 2016 Jun;35(6):1017-21. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2016.0098.
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Keywords: Access to Care, Disparities, Health Insurance, Policy, Medicaid, Behavioral Health, Substance Abuse
Toledo P, Eosakul ST, Grobman WA
Primary spoken language and neuraxial labor analgesia use among Hispanic Medicaid recipients.
The researchers investigated whether there is a disparity in anticipated or actual use of neuraxial labor analgesia among Hispanic women based on primary language (English versus Spanish). A language-based disparity was found in neuraxial labor analgesia use. It is possible that there are communication barriers in knowledge or understanding of analgesic options.
AHRQ-funded; HS020122.
Citation: Toledo P, Eosakul ST, Grobman WA .
Primary spoken language and neuraxial labor analgesia use among Hispanic Medicaid recipients.
Anesth Analg 2016 Jan;122(1):204-9. doi: 10.1213/ane.0000000000001079.
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Keywords: Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Disparities, Clinician-Patient Communication, Pain, Medicaid
Garcia Mosqueira A, Hua LM, Sommers BD
Racial differences in awareness of the Affordable Care Act and application assistance among low-income adults in three Southern states.
The researchers explored potential factors related to racial/ethnic differences in ACA enrollment - awareness of the law and receipt of application assistance such as navigator services. Their results highlight the importance of ACA outreach efforts to increase awareness among low-income and less educated populations to close existing disparities in coverage.
AHRQ-funded; HS021291.
Citation: Garcia Mosqueira A, Hua LM, Sommers BD .
Racial differences in awareness of the Affordable Care Act and application assistance among low-income adults in three Southern states.
Inquiry 2015 Oct 8;52. doi: 10.1177/0046958015609607.
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Keywords: Disparities, Health Insurance, Low-Income, Medicaid, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Ringwalt C, Roberts AW, Gugelmann H
Racial disparities across provider specialties in opioid prescriptions dispensed to Medicaid beneficiaries with chronic noncancer pain.
The purpose of this study was to examine differences across providers’ specialties in prescriptions filled by white and black Medicaid beneficiaries with chronic noncancer pain (CNCP). It found that race-based differences in beneficiaries’ dispensed opioid prescriptions were more prominent among patients of specialists in obstetrics and gynecology and internal medicine, as well as general practitioners/family medicine physicians.
AHRQ-funded; HS000032.
Citation: Ringwalt C, Roberts AW, Gugelmann H .
Racial disparities across provider specialties in opioid prescriptions dispensed to Medicaid beneficiaries with chronic noncancer pain.
Pain Med 2015 Apr;16(4):633-40. doi: 10.1111/pme.12555..
Keywords: Chronic Conditions, Disparities, Medicaid, Medication, Opioids, Pain, Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Zhang SM, McGoy SL, Dawes D
The potential for elimination of racial-ethnic disparities in HIV treatment initiation in the Medicaid population among 14 southern states.
This study explored racial/ethnic disparities in the initiation of antiretroviral treatment among HIV-infected Medicaid enrollees in 14 Southern States. It found no significant differences between blacks and non-Hispanic whites but Hispanic/Latino persons were significantly less likely to receive antiretroviral treatment.
AHRQ-funded; HS022444; HS019470
Citation: Zhang SM, McGoy SL, Dawes D .
The potential for elimination of racial-ethnic disparities in HIV treatment initiation in the Medicaid population among 14 southern states.
PLoS One. 2014 Apr 25;9(4):e96148. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0096148..
Keywords: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Disparities, Racial and Ethnic Minorities, Medicaid