Child participation in WIC: Medicaid costs and use of health care services.
OBJECTIVE
We used data from birth certificates, Medicaid, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to examine the relationship of child participation in WIC to Medicaid costs and use of health care services in North Carolina.


METHODS
We linked Medicaid enrollment, Medicaid paid claims, and WIC participation files to birth certificates for children born in North Carolina in 1992. We used multiple regression analysis to estimate the effects of WIC participation on the use of health care services and Medicaid costs.


RESULTS
Medicaid-enrolled children participating in the WIC program showed greater use of all types of health care services compared with Medicaid-enrolled children who were not WIC participants.


CONCLUSIONS
The health care needs of low-income children who participate in WIC may be better met than those of low-income children not participating in WIC.
Buescher
Paul A
PA
State Center for Health Statistics, North Carolina Division of Public Health, Raleigh 27699, USA. paul.buescher@ncmail.net
Horton
Stephanie J
SJ
Devaney
Barbara L
BL
Roholt
Sarah J
SJ
Lenihan
Alice J
AJ
Whitmire
J Timothy
JT
Kotch
Jonathan B
JB
D001719:Birth Certificates; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D053198:Child Nutrition Sciences / Q000193:education; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005522:Food Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008913:Minority Groups; D009657:North Carolina; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011203:Poverty; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014600:Utilization Review