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Erschienen in:
11.09.2019 | Original Research
Diagnosis and Care of Chronic Health Conditions Among Medicaid Expansion Enrollees: a Mixed-Methods Observational Study
Erschienen in: Journal of General Internal Medicine | Ausgabe 11/2019
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Background
It is uncertain how Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act influences the diagnosis of chronic health conditions, and the care and health of enrollees with chronic conditions.
Objective
Describe the prevalence of new and pre-existing chronic health conditions among Medicaid expansion enrollees. Examine whether perceived changes in specific types of access and self-rated health status differed between enrollees with chronic conditions and those without. Examine how gaining Medicaid coverage affected chronic disease management and well-being.
Design
Mixed-methods study including a telephone survey and semi-structured interviews.
Setting
Michigan’s Medicaid expansion, the “Healthy Michigan Plan” (HMP).
Participants
4090 survey respondents (response rate 54%) with ≥ 12 months HMP enrollment and 67 interviewees with ≥ 6 months enrollment.
Main Measures
Self-reported chronic condition diagnoses, changes in physical/mental health, and healthcare access. Descriptive survey data were adjusted for survey design and nonresponse. Semi-structured interview questions about how gaining HMP coverage led to changes in health status.
Key Results
Among enrollees, 68% had a self-reported diagnosis of a chronic health condition; 42% of those were newly diagnosed since HMP enrollment. In multivariable models, enrollees with chronic conditions were significantly more likely to report improved physical (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.70, 95% CI (1.40, 2.07)) and mental health (aOR 1.75, (1.43, 2.15)) since HMP enrollment than enrollees without chronic conditions. Among enrollees with chronic conditions, the strongest predictors of improvements in health were having seen a primary care physician, improved mental health care access, and improved medication access. Interviewees with chronic conditions described how increased access to health care led to improvements in both physical and mental health.
Conclusions
Enrollees with expanded Medicaid coverage commonly reported detection of previously undiagnosed chronic conditions. Perceived health status and access improved more often among enrollees with chronic health conditions. Improved access was associated with improved physical and mental health among this vulnerable group.