Medicaid Expansion Program Research Articles

Policy- and county-level associations with HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis use, the United States, 2018

PurposeHIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly efficacious, and yet most individuals indicated for it are not currently using it. To provide guidance for health policymakers, researchers, and community advocates, we developed county-level PrEP use estimates and assessed locality and policy associations. MethodsUsing data from a national aggregator, we applied a validated crosswalk procedure to generate county-level estimates of PrEP users in 2018. A multilevel Poisson regression explored associations between PrEP use and (1) state policy variables of Medicaid expansion and state Drug Assistance Programs (PrEP-DAPs) and (2) county-level characteristics from the U.S. Census Bureau. Outcomes were PrEP per population (prevalence) and PrEP-to-need ratio (PnR), defined as the ratio of PrEP users per new HIV diagnosis. Higher levels of PrEP prevalence or PnR indicate more PrEP users relative to the total population or estimated need, respectively. ResultsOur 2018 county-level data set included a total of 188,546 PrEP users in the United States. Nationally, PrEP prevalence was 70.3/100,000 population and PnR was 4.9. In an adjusted model, counties with a 5% higher proportion of black residents had 5% lower PnR (rate ratio (RR): 0.95, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.93, 0.96). Similarly, counties with higher concentration of residents uninsured or living in poverty had lower PnR. Relative to states without Medicaid expansion or PrEP-DAPs, states with only one of those programs had 25% higher PrEP prevalence (RR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.45), and states with both programs had 99% higher PrEP prevalence (RR: 1.99, 95% CI: 1.60, 2.48). There was a significant linear trend across the three policy groups, and similar findings for the relation between PnR and the policy groups. ConclusionsIn a data set comprising approximately 80% of PrEP users in the United States, we found that Medicaid expansion and PrEP-DAPs were associated with higher PrEP use in states that adopted those policies, after controlling for potential confounders. Future research should identify which components of PrEP support programs have the most success and how to best promote PrEP among groups most impacted by the epidemic. States should support the admirable health decisions of their residents to get on PrEP by implementing policies that facilitate access.

Engagement with Health Risk Assessments and Commitment to Healthy Behaviors in Michigan's Medicaid Expansion Program.

Health risk assessments (HRAs) and healthy behavior incentives are increasingly used by state Medicaid programs to promote enrollees' health. To evaluate enrollee experiences with HRAs and healthy behavior engagement in the Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP), a state Medicaid expansion program. Telephone survey conducted in Michigan January-October 2016. A random sample of HMP enrollees aged 19-64 with ≥ 12months of enrollment, stratified by income and geographic region. Self-reported completion of an HRA, reasons for completing an HRA, commitment to a healthy behavior, and choice of healthy behavior. Among respondents (N = 4090), 49.3% (95% CI 47.3-51.2%) reported completing an HRA; among those with a primary care provider (PCP) (n = 3851), 85.2% (95% CI 83.5-86.7%) reported visiting their PCP during the last 12months. Most enrollees having a recent PCP visit reported discussing healthy behaviors with them (91.1%, 95% CI 89.6-92.3%) and were more likely to have completed an HRA than enrollees without a recent PCP visit (52.7%, 95% CI 50.5-52.8% vs. 36.2%, 95% CI 31.7-41.1%; p < 0.01). Among enrollees completing an HRA, nearly half said they did it because their PCP suggested it (45.9%, 95% CI 43.2-48.7%), and most reported it helped their PCP understand their health needs (89.7%). Awareness of financial incentives was limited (28.1%, 95% CI 26.3-30.0%), and very few reported it as the primary reason for HRA completion (2.5%, 95% CI 1.8-3.4%). Most committed to a healthy behavior (80.7%, 95% CI 78.5-82.8%), and common behaviors chosen were nutrition/diet (57.2%, 95% CI 54.2-60.2%) and exercise/activity (52.6%, 95% CI 49.5-55.7%). In the Healthy Michigan Plan, PCPs appeared influential in enrollees' completion of HRAs and healthy behavior engagement, while knowledge of financial incentives was limited. Additional study is needed to understand the relative importance of financial incentives and PCP engagement in impacting healthy behaviors in state Medicaid programs.

Primary Care, Health Promotion, and Disease Prevention with Michigan Medicaid Expansion.

Medicaid expansion in Michigan, known as the Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP), emphasizes primary care and preventive services. Evaluate the impact of enrollment in HMP on access to and receipt of care, particularly primary care and preventive services. Telephone survey conducted during January-November 2016 with stratified random sampling by income and geographic region (response rate = 53.7%). Logistic regression analyses accounted for sampling and nonresponse adjustment. 4090 HMP enrollees aged 19-64 with ≥ 12 months of HMP coverage MAIN MEASURES: Surveys assessed demographic factors, health, access to and use of health care before and after HMP enrollment, health behaviors, receipt of counseling for health risks, and knowledge of preventive services' copayments. Utilization of preventive services was assessed using Medicaid claims. In the 12 months prior to HMP enrollment, 33.0% of enrollees reported not getting health care they needed. Three quarters (73.8%) of enrollees reported having a regular source of care (RSOC) before enrollment; 65.1% of those reported a doctor's office/clinic, while 16.2% reported the emergency room. After HMP enrollment, 92.2% of enrollees reported having a RSOC; 91.7% had a doctor's office/clinic and 1.7% the emergency room. One fifth (20.6%) of enrollees reported that, before HMP enrollment, it had been over 5 years since their last primary care visit. Enrollees who reported a visit with their primary care provider after HMP enrollment (79.3%) were significantly more likely than those who did not report a visit to receive counseling about health behaviors, improved access to cancer screening, new diagnoses of chronic conditions, and nearly all preventive services. Enrollee knowledge that some services have no copayments was also associated with greater utilization of most preventive services. After enrolling in Michigan's Medicaid expansion program, beneficiaries reported less forgone care and improved access to primary care and preventive services.

Association of Expanded Medicaid Coverage With Health and Job-Related Outcomes Among Enrollees With Behavioral Health Disorders.

The study objective was to assess the impact of Medicaid expansion on health and employment outcomes among enrollees with and without a behavioral health disorder (either a mental or substance use disorder). Between January and October 2016, the authors conducted a telephone survey of 4,090 enrollees in the Michigan Medicaid expansion program and identified 2,040 respondents (48.3%) with potential behavioral health diagnoses using claims-based diagnoses. Enrollees with behavioral health diagnoses were less likely than enrollees without behavioral health diagnoses to be employed but significantly more likely to report improvements in health and ability to do a better job at work. In adjusted analyses, both enrollees with behavioral health diagnoses and those without behavioral health diagnoses who reported improved health were more likely than enrollees without improved health to report that Medicaid expansion coverage helped them do a better job at work and made them better able to look for a job. Among enrollees with improved health, those with a behavioral health diagnosis were as likely as those without a behavioral health diagnosis to report improved ability to work and improved job seeking after Medicaid expansion. Coverage interruptions for enrollees with behavioral health diagnoses should be minimized to maintain favorable health and employment outcomes.

Demographics and Clinical Profiles of Patients Visiting a Free Clinic in Miami, Florida.

Background: Although the ranks of the uninsured in the United States have decreased in recent years, some states still lack Medicaid expansion programs, leaving many Americans, especially the indigent and homeless, without adequate healthcare coverage. Free-for-care clinics are oftentimes the last safety net for these vulnerable populations. Because these clinics have limited funding, a thorough understanding of the patients they serve is necessary to effectively direct their resources. The objective of the present study is to investigate the characteristics and clinical profiles of patients utilizing a free clinic in Miami, Florida.Methods: Aggregate EMR data reflecting consecutive adult patient visits to the Miami Rescue Mission Clinic in Miami, Florida between January 1st, 2018 to March 15th, 2019 (n = 846) were reviewed for sociodemographic characteristics and chronic disease prevalence. Prevalence rates were compared by sex and to county estimates from the Florida Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.Results: The most common conditions were mental health (19.3%), circulatory system (14.7%), and musculoskeletal system disorders (13.9%). Males had a greater prevalence of depression (difference = 6.6%; 95% CI [1.5 to 10.7%]; χ2 = 6.2; p = 0.013) and overall mental illness (22.0 vs. 10.4%, difference = 11.6%; 95% CI [5.7 to 16.4%]; χ2 = 13.2; p = 0.0003) compared to females, and male sex was identified as an independent risk factor for mental illness on multivariate logistic regression analysis (OR = 2.8; 95% CI [1.7 to 4.7]; p < 0.001). There was also a higher prevalence of depression (difference = 6.41%; 95% CI [2.1 to 10.2%]; χ2 = 8.0; p = 0.0047) and HIV (difference = 1.4%; 95% CI [0.3 to 3.0%]; χ2 = 7.3; p = 0.007) in male patients compared to county estimates. Rates of hypertension, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, asthma, and COPD were lower in the clinic population compared to the surrounding county.Conclusion: There is an acute need for mental health services in this population. The lowered prevalence of other chronic conditions is due to underdiagnosis and loss to follow-up. Such analyses are important in guiding policy decisions for meeting the health needs of vulnerable, at risk populations.

A tale of two public dental benefit programs: Iowa dentist participation in traditional Medicaid versus a Medicaid expansion program

BackgroundIn Iowa from 2014 to 2017, there were 2 separate public dental benefit programs for Medicaid-enrolled adults: one for the Medicaid expansion population called the Dental Wellness Plan (DWP), and one for the traditional, non-expansion adult Medicaid population. The programs differed with respect to reimbursement, administration, and benefit structure. This study explored differences in patterns and predictors of dentist participation in the two programs.MethodsAuthors sent a survey to all private practice dentists in Iowa (n = 1301) 2 years after DWP implementation. Descriptive, bivariate, and logistic regression analyses were used to examine patterns and predictors of dentist participation in Medicaid and DWP.ResultsOverall rates of dentists’ acceptance of new Medicaid and DWP patients were 45 and 43%, respectively. However, Medicaid participants were much more likely than DWP participants to place limits on patient acceptance. Adjusting for other factors, practice busyness was the only significant predictor of DWP participation, and practice location was the only significant predictor of Medicaid participation. Dentists who were not busy enough were more than twice as likely to participate in DWP compared to others, and dentists in rural areas were almost twice as likely to participate in Medicaid compared to dentists in urban areas.ConclusionsDentist participation in Medicaid is an ongoing concern for states aiming to ensure access to dental care for low-income populations. We found distinct participation patterns and predictors between a traditional Medicaid dental program and the DWP, suggesting different motivations for participation between the two programs.

The Affordable Care Act In The Heart Of The Opioid Crisis: Evidence From West Virginia.

West Virginia is at the epicenter of a national opioid crisis, with a 2016 fatal opioid overdose rate of 43.4 per 100,000 population-more than triple the US average. We used claims data for 2014-16 to examine trends in treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) among people enrolled in the West Virginia Medicaid expansion program under the Affordable Care Act. Expanding Medicaid could provide services to populations that may previously have had limited access to OUD treatment. We thus sought to understand trends over time in OUD diagnosis and treatment, especially with medications. About 5.5percent of all enrollees were diagnosed with OUD per year, and the monthly prevalence of OUD diagnoses nearly tripled during this three-year period. The ratio of people filling buprenorphine to the number diagnosed with OUD was around one-third in early 2014, increasing to more than 75percent by late 2016. Mean annual duration of filled buprenorphine increased from 161 days in 2014 to 185 days in 2016, and most people filling buprenorphine also received counseling and drug testing during the study period. The growing use of medication treatment for OUD in the West Virginia Medicaid expansion population provides an opportunity to reduce overdose deaths.

Abstract P1-08-06: Changes in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment after Medicaid expansion in Pennsylvania

Abstract Background: In January 2015, Pennsylvania expanded Medicaid eligibility to all legally present adults in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with household incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level under the Affordable Care Act. Pennsylvania is the most populous state to expand Medicaid that did not previously have a large expansion of the program to adults, making it an ideal setting to study the impacts of the program. By March 2017, an estimated 716,000 people had enrolled in Pennsylvania's expanded Medicaid program. We aim to determine how Pennsylvania's Medicaid expansion has impacted breast cancer diagnosis and treatment in the state. Methods: The Pennsylvania Cancer Registry was queried for all women aged 18 to 64 years newly diagnosed with breast cancer between 2007 and 2015. Demographic, tumor, and treatment characteristics were evaluated for each year during this time span. In order to assess the impact that Medicaid expansion had on these variables, they were compared for the years 2007 to 2014 (before Medicaid expansion) and the year 2015 (after). Results: Between 2007 and 2015, 49,606 cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed among women aged 18-64 and residing in the state of Pennsylvania, 43,920 of which were diagnosed and treated between 2007 and 2014, and 5,686 of which were diagnosed and treated in 2015. Initial analysis indicates that more women were diagnosed with localized breast cancer (SEER summary stage 1) following Medicaid expansion in 2015 compared to the period of 2007 to 2014 (63.07% v. 60.62%, p = 0.0004). Meanwhile, the proportion of women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer did not change before and after Medicaid expansion (6.52% v. 6.86%, p = 0.3298). Subsequent analysis will assess changes in treatment outcomes including time to treatment and receipt of guideline-concordant care. Conclusion: The expansion of Medicaid in Pennsylvania in 2015 under the Affordable Care Act resulted in an increase in the proportion of localized (SEER summary stage 1) breast cancer diagnoses, though there was no change in the proportion of metastatic cases in the first year following expansion. The results suggest a possible increase in earlier stage diagnosis associated with increased access to health insurance. Additional analysis will examine the impact on treatment-related outcomes. Citation Format: Spada N, Geramita E, van Londen G, Sabik L. Changes in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment after Medicaid expansion in Pennsylvania [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-08-06.

Association of Access to Family Planning Services With Medicaid Expansion Among Female Enrollees in Michigan

To date, 32 states and the District of Columbia have expanded Medicaid programs under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It is vital to understand whether expanded health insurance coverage of low-income individuals improves access to family planning services as a first step toward improving reproductive health outcomes. To evaluate the association of Medicaid expansion coverage with access to birth control and family planning services among women of reproductive age enrolled in the Michigan expansion plan. In a survey study, from January 13 through December 15, 2016, telephone surveys of a stratified sample of enrollees in Michigan's Section 1115 Medicaid Expansion waiver program, the Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP), were conducted. Interviewers completed surveys for 4090 sampled enrollees, of whom 1166 were women aged 19 to 44 years. Surveys were conducted with a computer-assisted telephone interviewing system in English, Arabic, and Spanish. The sample was weighted to 113 565 women. Dates of data analysis were from January 27 through September 18, 2017. Self-reported change in access to birth control and family planning services through HMP (better, worse, about the same, or don't know/doesn't apply), compared with before enrollment. Among the 1166 survey respondents aged 19 to 44 years (mean [SD] age, 31.0 [0.3] years) and the weighted sample of 113 565, 74.7% (95% CI, 72.2%-76.9%) lived in very-low-income households (<100% federal poverty level), 64.0% (95% CI, 60.5%-67.3%) reported at least 1 chronic medical condition, 23.5% (95% CI, 20.6%-26.6%) reported fair or poor health, and 17.7% (95% CI, 15.7%-19.9%) lived in rural settings. Overall, 35.5% (95% CI, 32.2%-39.0%) reported increased access to family planning services. After adjusting, those most likely to report increased access were women without health insurance coverage in the year preceding HMP enrollment (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.02; 95% CI, 1.41-2.89) compared with women with health insurance for the full 12 months preceding enrollment; younger women (aOR for 19-24 years, 2.80 [95% CI, 1.75-4.50]; aOR for 25-34 years, 2.35 [95% CI, 1.60-3.45]) compared with women aged 35 to 44 years; and women with a recent visit to a primary care clinician (aOR 1.69; 95% CI, 1.03-2.76) compared with women without a primary care visit in the preceding 12 months. One in 3 women of reproductive age reported better ability to access birth control and family planning services through HMP compared with before enrollment. This finding suggests that Medicaid expansion is associated with improved access to family planning services, which may enable low-income women to maintain optimal reproductive health.

Laundering Racism Through the Courts the Scandal of States' Rights

It is well known that the conservative majority on the Supreme Court believes strongly in the doctrine of federalism. This article discusses how the Court’s adherence to federalism has led it to make a number of decisions that have had disastrous consequences. The article focuses on two decisions, Shelby County v. Holder and National Federation of Independent Business (“NFIB”) v. Sibelius. In Shelby County, the Court struck down, on states’ rights grounds, the formula provided in the Voting Rights Act for determining whether states and municipalities had to get approval from Washington (preclearance) for any change in their voting rules to ensure that the change was not racially discriminatory. Similarly, in NFIB, the Court struck down the inducement in the Affordable Care Act for states to participate in the law’s Medicaid expansion program on the grounds that it violated states’ rights. In both Shelby County and NFIB, Chief Justice Roberts wrote the principal opinion. The result of the Shelby County decision was that states and municipalities, mostly those in the former confederacy, which had previously discriminated against African-Americans in connection with voting, started discriminating again. The result of the NFIB decision, which allowed states to opt out of the Medicaid expansion, was that many states, including most of those in the former confederacy, declined to participate in the expanded program even though the expansion was paid for by the federal government. Unsurprisingly, the result of the states’ refusals has been terrible health outcomes for many of their citizens including many African-Americans. The article further points out that given the sorry history of the Southern states in terms of voting discrimination and providing social services, these results were imminently predictable. Unfortunately, the Court puts more emphasis on its federalist ideology than on the consequences of its decisions.

A New Community Health Center/Academic Medicine Partnership for Medicaid Cost Control, Powered by the Mega Teaching Health Center.

Community health centers (CHCs), a principal source of primary care for over 24 million patients, provide high-quality affordable care for medically underserved and lower-income populations in urban and rural communities. The authors propose that CHCs can assume an important role in the quest for health care reform by serving substantially more Medicaid patients. Major expansion of CHCs, powered by mega teaching health centers (THCs) in partnership with regional academic medical centers (AMCs) or teaching hospitals, could increase Medicaid beneficiaries' access to cost-effective care. The authors propose that this CHC expansion could be instrumental in limiting the added cost of Medicaid expansion via the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or subsequent legislation. Nevertheless, expansion cannot succeed without developing this CHC-AMC partnership both (1) to fuel the currently deficient primary care provider workforce pipeline, which now greatly limits expansion of CHCs; and (2) to provide more CHC-affiliated community outreach sites to enhance access to care. The authors describe the current status of Medicaid and CHCs, plus the evolution and vulnerability of current THCs. They also explain multiple features of a mega THC demonstration project designed to test this new paradigm for Medicaid cost control. The authors contend that the demonstration's potential for success in controlling costs could provide help to preserve the viability of current and future expanded state Medicaid programs, despite a potential ultimate decrease in federal funding over time. Thus, the authors believe that the new AMC-CHC partnership paradigm they propose could potentially facilitate bipartisan support for repairing the ACA.

Medicaid Reform, Responsiblization Policies, and the Synergism of Barriers to Low-income Health Seeking

Many recent health reforms in the United States are imbued with neoliberal responsibilization rhetoric, which encourages individual responsibility and reduced dependency on the state. This ideology is evident in waiver-modified Medicaid expansion programs which include personal responsibility requirements such as increased cost sharing and behavioral incentive programs. In this article, we explore the limits of responsibilization rhetoric in the context of the lives of a group of Medicaid-qualified people in Michigan. We consider the health needs and challenges they face, how they view and respond to such notions of responsibility, and their access to healthy behavioral choices such as exercising, eating healthy foods, and seeing a doctor. We found that most already embraced a desire to take responsibility for their health, but due to the synergistic impact of a variety of barriers—notably unreliable and changing health insurance coverage, fluctuating low-wage employment, and limited access to health reso...

Effect of Outreach Messages on Medicaid Enrollment.

To measure the impact of different outreach messages on health insurance enrollment among Medicaid-eligible adults. Between March 2015 and April 2016, we conducted a series of experiments using mail-based outreach that encouraged individuals to enroll in Pennsylvania's expanded Medicaid program. Recipients were randomized to receive 1 of 4 different messages describing the benefits of health insurance. The primary outcome was the response rate to each letter. We mailed outreach letters to 32 993 adults in Philadelphia. Messages that emphasized the dental benefits of insurance were significantly more likely to result in a response than messages emphasizing the health benefits (odds ratio = 1.33; 95% confidence interval = 1.10, 1.61). Medicaid enrollment outreach messages that emphasized the dental benefits of insurance were more effective than those that emphasized the health-related benefits. Public Health Implications. Although the structure and eligibility of the Medicaid program are likely to change, testing and identifying successful outreach and enrollment strategies remains important. Outreach messages that emphasize dental benefits may be more effective at motivating enrollment among individuals of low socioeconomic status.

Abstract P3-10-06: Genetic testing for HBOC among women with a personal diagnosis of breast cancer in patients with Medicaid as compared to patients with private insurance

Abstract Introduction: National guidelines recommend that women diagnosed with early-onset breast cancer and/or a strong family history receive BRCA1/2 testing to guide treatment decisions. Among newly diagnosed patients, a positive test result will often prompt more aggressive surgical treatment to minimize the risk of second primary cancers. Currently, coverage for genetic counseling and testing for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) under the Medicaid expansion program of the Affordable Care Act has varied by state, where some states require a copayment for this service. Similarly, there is no mandate to cover risk-reducing surgery for patients found to carry a genetic mutation despite research showing cost-effectiveness. This analysis sought to determine whether genetic testing for HBOC among patients with breast cancer is different for those with Medicaid compared to those with private insurance. Methods: A commercial laboratory database was analyzed for patients with a personal history of breast cancer who underwent testing with a 25-gene hereditary cancer panel from September 2013-February 2016. Patients were eligible for inclusion if they were between ages 18 and 64 at the time of testing and had not undergone previous genetic testing. A total of 17,020 patients with either Medicaid (N=4,313) or one of 5 private payers (N=12,707) were tested during this period. Descriptive statistics, including means for continuous variables and proportions for categorical variables, were calculated. Chi-square tests were used to test associations and differences of positive rates between insurance provider category. Two-tailed p-values are reported, and any p-value less than 0.05 is considered statistically significant. Results: Medicaid patients had a median age of breast cancer diagnosis of 45 compared to 47 for patient with private insurance. Among women with Medicaid insurance, a higher proportion were of African (13.3% vs 6.4%) and Latin American ancestry (16.4% vs 5.3%). The mutation positive rate among patients with Medicaid was 13.0%, which was statistically higher than patients with private insurance (9.5%) (p&amp;lt;0.001). The positive rate was higher among Medicaid patients of all ancestries suggesting that this discrepancy was not due to ancestry difference among the two testing populations. Positive rate by ancestry MedicaidPrivateOverallAfrican80 (13.9%)72 (8.9%)152 (11.0%)Ashkenazi3 (17.6%)20 (15.3%)23 (15.5%)Asian26 (13.3%)40 (7.5%)66 (9.1%)Caucasian201 (12.9%)171 (9.9%)918 (10.4%)Latin American/Caribbean98 (13.8%)65 (9.6%)163 (11.8%)Native American7 (13.7%)9 (7.9%)16 (9.7%)Neareast/Mideast10 (17.9%)8 (9.3%)18 (12.7%)Multiple49 (12.3%)77 (9.0%)126 (10.0%)None Specified85 (11.3%)199 (8.8%)284 (9.4%)Total559 (13.0%)1207 (9.5%)1766 (10.4%) Conclusions: Overall, the positive mutation rate among individuals with Medicaid insurance was higher than those with private insurance, suggesting the testing requirements applied to this population may be more stringent than those applied to the private insurance population. Consistent genetic testing insurance criteria are necessary for all patients to receive care in line with guidelines following a breast cancer diagnosis. Citation Format: Baron P, Johnson-Isidore K, Miller L, Brown K, Kidd J, Saam J, Lancaster J. Genetic testing for HBOC among women with a personal diagnosis of breast cancer in patients with Medicaid as compared to patients with private insurance [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-10-06.

"They Treat you a Different Way:" Public Insurance, Stigma, and the Challenge to Quality Health Care.

Under the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid Expansion programs are extending Medicaid eligibility and increasing access to care. However, stigma associated with public insurance coverage may importantly affect the nature and content of the health care beneficiaries receive. In this paper, we examine the health care stigma experiences described by a group of low-income public insurance beneficiaries. They perceive stigma as manifest in poor quality care and negative interpersonal interactions in the health care setting. Using an intersectional approach, we found that the stigma of public insurance was compounded with other sources of stigma including socioeconomic status, race, gender, and illness status. Experiences of stigma had important implications for how subjects evaluated the quality of care, their decisions impacting continuity of care, and their reported ability to access health care. We argue that stigma challenges the quality of care provided under public insurance and is thus a public health issue that should be addressed in Medicaid policy.

Effect of the Affordable Care Act on Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Insurance Coverage.

To document how health insurance coverage changed for White, Black, and Hispanic adults after the Affordable Care Act (ACA) went into effect. We used data from the American Community Survey from 2008 to 2014 to examine changes in the percentage of nonelderly adults who were uninsured, covered by Medicaid, or covered by private health insurance. In addition to presenting overall trends by race/ethnicity, we stratified the analysis by income group and state Medicaid expansion status. In 2013, 40.5% of Hispanics and 25.8% of Blacks were uninsured, compared with 14.8% of Whites. We found a larger gap in private insurance, which was partially offset by higher rates of public coverage among Blacks and Hispanics. After the main ACA provisions went into effect in 2014, coverage disparities declined slightly as the percentage of adults who were uninsured decreased by 7.1 percentage points for Hispanics, 5.1 percentage points for Blacks, and 3 percentage points for Whites. Coverage gains were greater in states that expanded Medicaid programs. The ACA has reduced racial/ethnic disparities in coverage, although substantial disparities remain. Further increases in coverage will require Medicaid expansion by more states and improved program take-up in states that have already done so.

Variability in state Medicaid medication management initiatives.

Many U.S. states have expanded Medicaid programs, with over 70 million beneficiaries now enrolled. States' interest in improving care quality and lowering costs has spurred experimentation with several medication management (MM) programs. The implementation of MM programs for beneficiaries has been sporadic, and program elements and implementation methods have been heterogeneous. A survey was conducted to: (1) determine covered MM services in state Medicaid programs, (2) report innovative MM program findings, and (3) identify challenges in creating sustainable MM programs. The survey was sent to state Medicaid pharmacy directors in February 2015. The survey data focused on the type and extent of pharmacist-provided MM services, MM provider qualifications, patient eligibility criteria and enrollment strategies, MM delivery settings and referral patterns, MM program evaluations, program costs and sustainability models, key implementation challenges, and future program enhancements. Many Medicaid programs generally followed Medicare Part D Medication Therapy Management requirements. Highly variable findings were due to different Medicaid eligibility criteria, pharmacist integration with health teams, access to electronic medical records (EMRs), and MM delivery methods/settings to optimize drug therapy regimens. Several implementation challenges were identified. Pharmacist integration on care teams and access to EMRs improves MM implementation. MM program evaluation funding and data support must be secured prior to program implementation. The findings and discussion here can assist states with limited or preliminary Medicaid MM experience to progress toward sustainable programs.

Emergency department visits and revisits for nontraumatic dental conditions in Iowa.

To examine the characteristics associated with emergency department (ED) utilization in Iowa for nontraumatic dental conditions (NTDCs), and those associated with having multiple visits to the ED for NTDCs before the Medicaid expansion program in Iowa. State Emergency Department Database for Iowa was used for 2012, which comprised of all outpatient ED visits in the state. Logistic regression was used for bivariate and multivariable analyses to model the odds of visiting the ED for NTDCs, relative to other conditions, and odds of visiting the ED multiple times relative to a single time in 2012 for NTDCs. The hospital charges associated with the NTDC ED visits were also examined. ED visits for NTDCs comprised 1.41% of all ED visits in Iowa during 2012 with a mean charge of $557. Of the patients presenting for NTDCs in 2012, 17% presented multiples times. Young adults, Medicaid enrollees or uninsured, and those residing in metropolitan areas had greater odds of presenting to the EDs for NTDCs compared with other conditions, and presenting multiple times to EDs for NTDCs. Those with more chronic conditions also had greater odds of repeatedly visiting the ED for NTDCs. Low-income young adults in Iowa rely on EDs for their dental needs that can have substantial costs. The Dental Wellness Plan (DWP) is intended to facilitate dental care access by providing dental coverage to low-income Iowans. This study provides baseline data that will be used to evaluate the success of DWP in improving access to dental care.

ACA in 2015 and beyond: What pharmacists need to know

Pharmacists are likely seeing more patients under the AffordableCare Act's (ACA) expansion of health insurance coverage. About10 million American have gained insurance coverage through ACA,according to the latest numbers from the Obama administration.Some have signed up for plans through state and federal health insuranceexchanges that began operating on October 1, 2013, while othersqualified for coverage through expanded state Medicaid programs oremployer-based insurance.

A patient advocacy program established through an interprofessional student-run free clinic.

This report describes a student-run free clinic model that exposes medical, nursing, and social work students to interprofessional care of the underserved early in their training. As a result of a new partnership with social work students, a patient advocacy program was established, which helped patients apply for an expanded Medicaid program.