Emergency Department Use During Pregnancy by Medicaid Type
Author Information
Author(s): Hersh Alyssa, Martinez Acevedo Ann, Mandelbaum Ava, Choo Esther, Rodriguez Maria
Primary Institution: Oregon Health & Science University
Hypothesis
How does emergency department utilization differ among pregnant persons with different types of Medicaid?
Conclusion
Individuals with Traditional Medicaid were more likely to have an antenatal ED visit than individuals with Emergency Medicaid.
Supporting Evidence
- 55.1% of Medicaid recipients had at least one ED visit during pregnancy.
- 58.2% of patients with Traditional Medicaid had at least one ED visit compared to 22.7% with Emergency Medicaid.
- Emergency Medicaid recipients were significantly less likely to have their ED visit covered by insurance.
Takeaway
This study found that pregnant people with Traditional Medicaid visit the emergency room more often than those with Emergency Medicaid, which might be due to differences in healthcare coverage.
Methodology
Retrospective cohort study of births among Medicaid recipients in South Carolina from 2010 to 2019.
Potential Biases
Emergency Medicaid recipients may be systematically underdiagnosed for chronic medical conditions due to restricted access to care.
Limitations
The study could not assess individual clinical circumstances for ED visits and lacked geographic location data.
Participant Demographics
The study included a diverse population of Medicaid recipients, with significant differences in age, race, and urban/rural residence between Medicaid types.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.26
Confidence Interval
0.25–0.27
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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