An evaluation of the impact of maternity care coordination on Medicaid birth outcomes in North Carolina.
BACKGROUND
Care coordination is an important component of the enhanced prenatal care services provided under the recent expansions of the Medicaid program. The effect of maternity care coordination services on birth outcomes in North Carolina was assessed by comparing women on Medicaid who did and did not receive these services.


METHODS
Health program data files, including Medicaid claims paid for maternity care coordination, were linked to 1988 and 1989 live birth certificates. Simple comparisons of percentages and rates were supplemented by a logistic regression analysis.


RESULTS
Among women on Medicaid who did not receive maternity care coordination services, the low birth weight rate was 21% higher, the very low birth weight rate was 62% higher, and the infant mortality rate was 23% higher than among women on Medicaid who did receive such services. It was estimated that, for each $1.00 spent on maternity care coordination, Medicaid saved $2.02 in medical costs for newborns up to 60 days of age. Among the women who did receive maternity care coordination, those receiving it for 3 or more months had better outcomes than those receiving it for less than 3 months.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that maternity care coordination can be effective in reducing low birth weight, infant mortality, and newborn medical care costs among babies born to women in poverty.
Buescher
P A
PA
State Center for Health and Environmental Statistics, Raleigh, NC 27611-7687.
Roth
M S
MS
Williams
D
D
Goforth
C M
CM
D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D017046:Cost Savings; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016015:Logistic Models; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D008484:Medicaid / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards*; D008498:Medical Record Linkage; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D011203:Poverty; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States