Effect of expansions in state Medicaid eligibility on access to care and the use of emergency department services for adult Medicaid enrollees.
OBJECTIVE
Medicaid enrollees typically report worse access to care than other insured populations. Expansions in Medicaid through less restrictive income eligibility requirements and the resulting influx of new enrollees may further erode access to care for those already enrolled in Medicaid.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the effect of previous Medicaid expansions on self-reported access to care and the use of emergency department services by Medicaid enrollees.


METHODS
Quasi-experimental difference-in-differences design among 1714 adult Medicaid enrollees in 10 states that expanded Medicaid between June 1, 2000, and October 1, 2009, and 5097 Medicaid enrollees in 14 bordering control states that did not expand Medicaid.


METHODS
Self-reported access to care and annualized emergency department use.


RESULTS
Among states expanding their Medicaid program for adults, the mean income eligibility level increased from 82.6% to 144.2% of the federal poverty level. Income eligibility in matched control states remained constant at 77.1% of the federal poverty level. The proportion of adults reporting being enrolled in Medicaid increased from 7.2% to 8.8% in expansion states and from 6.1% to 6.4% in matched control states. In Medicaid program expansion states, the proportion of Medicaid enrollees reporting poor access to care declined from 8.5% before the expansion to 7.3% after the expansion. In matched control states, the proportion of Medicaid enrollees reporting poor access to care remained constant at 5.3%. The proportion of enrollees reporting any emergency department use decreased from 41.2% to 40.1% in expansion states and from 37.3% to 36.1% in matched control states. In the period following expansions, newly eligible enrollees reported poorer access to care than previously enrolled beneficiaries, although the overall difference between groups did not reach statistical significance.


CONCLUSIONS
We found no evidence that expanding the number of individuals eligible for Medicaid coverage eroded perceived access to care or increased the use of emergency services among adult Medicaid enrollees.
Department of Health Management and Policy, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut2Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island.
Chima D
CD
Ndumele
Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island3Center of Innovation in Long-term Services and Supports for Vulnerable Veterans, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence.
Vincent
V
Mor
Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island3Center of Innovation in Long-term Services and Supports for Vulnerable Veterans, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence.
Susan
S
Allen
Center for Organization, Leadership and Management Research, Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts5Department of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts.
James F
JF
Burgess
Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island3Center of Innovation in Long-term Services and Supports for Vulnerable Veterans, Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Providence.
Amal N
AN
Trivedi
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004608:Eligibility Determination; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D058991:Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult