Need for Contraceptive Services Among Women of Reproductive Age - 45 Jurisdictions, United States, 2017-2019.

Ensuring access to contraceptive services is an important strategy for preventing unintended pregnancies, which account for nearly one half of all U.S. pregnancies (1) and are associated with adverse maternal and infant health outcomes (2). Equitable, person-centered contraceptive access is also important to ensure reproductive autonomy (3). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data collected during 2017-2019 were used to estimate the proportion of women aged 18-49 years who were at risk for unintended pregnancy* and had ongoing or potential need for contraceptive services.† During 2017-2019, in the 45 jurisdictions§ from which data were collected, 76.2% of women aged 18-49 years were considered to be at risk for unintended pregnancy, ranging from 67.0% (Alaska) to 84.6% (Georgia); 60.7% of women had ongoing or potential need for contraceptive services, ranging from 45.3% (Puerto Rico) to 73.7% (New York). For all jurisdictions combined, the proportion of women who were at risk for unintended pregnancy and had ongoing or potential need for contraceptive services varied significantly by age group, race/ethnicity, and urban-rural status. Among women with ongoing or potential need for contraceptive services, 15.2% used a long-acting reversible method (intrauterine device or contraceptive implant), 25.0% used a short-acting reversible method (injectable, pill, transdermal patch, or vaginal ring), and 29.5% used a barrier or other reversible method (diaphragm, condom, withdrawal, cervical cap, sponge, spermicide, fertility-awareness-based method, or emergency contraception). In addition, 30.3% of women with ongoing or potential need were not using any method of contraception. Data in this report can be used to help guide jurisdictional planning to deliver contraceptive services, reduce unintended pregnancies, ensure that the contraceptive needs of women and their partners are met, and evaluate efforts to increase access to contraception.

Policy change is not enough: engaging provider champions on immediate postpartum contraception.

Rates of short-interval pregnancies that result in unintended pregnancies remain high in the United States and contribute to adverse reproductive health outcomes. Long-acting reversible contraception methods have annual failure rates of <1%, compared with 9% for oral contraceptive pills, and are an effective strategy to reduce unintended pregnancies. To increase access to long-acting reversible contraception in the immediate postpartum period, several State Medicaid programs, which include those in Iowa and Louisiana, recently established reimbursement policies to remove the barriers to reimbursement of immediate postpartum long-acting reversible contraception insertion. We used a mixed-methods approach to analyze 2013-2015 linked Medicaid and vital records data from both Iowa and Louisiana and to describe trends in immediate postpartum long-acting reversible contraception provision 1 year before and after the Medicaid reimbursement policy change. We also used data from key informant interviews with state program staff to understand how provider champions affected policy uptake. We found that the monthly average for the number of insertions in Iowa increased from 4.6 per month before the policy to 6.6 per month after the policy; in Louisiana, the average number of insertions increased from 2.6 per month before the policy to 45.2 per month. In both states, the majority of insertions occurred at 1 academic/teaching hospital. In Louisiana, the additional increase may be due to the engagement of a provider champion who worked at both the state and facility level. Recruiting, training, engaging, and supporting provider champions, as facilitators, with influence at state and facility levels, is an important component of a multipart strategy for increasing successful implementation of state-level Medicaid payment reform policies that allow reimbursement for immediate postpartum long-acting reversible contraception insertions.

Evaluating Iowa Severe Maternal Morbidity Trends and Maternal Risk Factors: 2009-2014.

Objectives To describe statewide SMM trends in Iowa from 2009 to 2014 and identify maternal characteristics associated with SMM, overall and by age group. Methods We used 2009-2014 linked Iowa birth certificate and hospital discharge data to calculate SMM based on a 25-condition definition and 24-condition definition. The 24-condition definition parallels the 25-condition definition, but excludes blood transfusions. We calculated SMM rates for all delivery hospitalizations (N = 196,788) using ICD-9-CM diagnosis and procedure codes. We used log-binomial regression to assess the association of SMM with maternal characteristics, overall and stratified by age groupings. Results In contrast to national rates, Iowa's 25-condition SMM rate decreased from 2009 to 2014. Based on the 25-condition definition, SMM rates were significantly higher among women <20 years and >34 years compared to women 25-34 years. Blood transfusion was the most prevalent indicator, with hysterectomy and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) among the top five conditions. Based on the 24-condition definition, younger women had the lowest SMM rates and older women had the highest SMM rates. SMM rates were also significantly higher among racial/ethnic minorities compared to non-Hispanic white women. Payer was the only risk factor differentially associated with SMM across age groups. First trimester prenatal care initiation was protective for SMM in all models. Conclusions High rates of blood transfusion, hysterectomy, and DIC indicate a need to focus on reducing hemorrhage in Iowa. Both younger and older women and racial/ethnic minorities are identified as high risk groups for SMM that may benefit from special consideration and focus.

Use of clinical performance measures for contraceptive care in Iowa, 2013.

OBJECTIVES: To assess feasibility of calculating clinical performance measures for contraceptive care for National Quality Forum submission: the percentage of women aged 15-44 years provided the following: (1) a most or moderately effective contraceptive method (MME) and (2) a long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) method. METHODS: We used 2013 Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) Title X and Iowa Medicaid data. We stratified Title X data by age and Medicaid data by age and benefit type (family planning waiver (FPW) vs. general Medicaid), and examined variation by residence, public health region and health plan based on program interest. FINDINGS: Among women attending IDPH Title X clinics in 2013 (N=11,584), 86% of women aged 15-20years and 83% of women aged 21-44years were provided MME; and 20% of women aged 15-20years and 20% of women aged 21-44years were provided LARC. Estimates varied across Title X subrecipient agencies, which receive federal funds from IDPH. Among Medicaid FPW clients (N=30,013), 79% of women aged 15-20years and 73% of women aged 21-44years were provided MME; and 12% of women aged 15-20years and 11% of women aged 21-44years were provided LARC. Among general Medicaid clients (N=14,737), 40% of women aged 15-20years and 28% of women aged 21-44years were provided MME; and 5% of women aged 15-20years and 5% of women aged 21-44years were provided LARC. CONCLUSION: A high percentage of IDPH Title X and FPW clients were provided an MME method. No reporting entity had a LARC percentage less than 1%-2%. IMPLICATIONS: Measure calculation using Title X and Medicaid data is feasible and can potentially be used to identify ways to increase access to contraceptive methods.

Factors associated with receiving treatment for dental decay among Medicaid-enrolled children younger than 12 years of age in Iowa, 2010.

OBJECTIVES: The Iowa Department of Public Health I-Smile program provides dental screening and care coordination to over 23,000 low-income and Medicaid-enrolled children per year. The purposes of this study were to evaluate I-Smile program effectiveness to ensure that Medicaid-enrolled children obtained dental treatment after having been screened and to determine the factors associated with failure to receive dental care after screening through the I-Smile program. METHODS: Based on I-Smile program priorities, we limited our sample to children younger than 12 years of age who screened positive for decay and who linked to a paid Medicaid claim for dental treatment (n = 1,816). We conducted bivariate analyses to examine associations between children's characteristics who screened positive for decay and received treatment within 6 months of their initial screening. We also performed multivariate logistic regression to assess the association of sociodemographic characteristics with receipt of treatment among children who screened positive for decay. RESULTS: Eleven percent of children screened positive for decay. Nearly 24 percent of children with decay received treatment based on a Medicaid-paid claim. Being 5 years or older [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.48, confidence interval (CI): 1.17, 1.88] and not having a dental home (aOR: 1.90, CI: 1.41, 2.58) were associated with higher odds of not receiving dental treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Children 5 years and older and without a dental home were less likely to obtain dental treatment. Opportunities exist for the I-Smile program to increase the numbers of at-risk children with dental homes and who obtain dental care after screening.

Ascertainment of medicaid payment for delivery on the iowa birth certificate: is accuracy sufficient for timely policy and program relevant analysis?

The Iowa Department of Public Health annually links Medicaid claims data to the birth certificate. Because the latest version of the birth certificate provides more timely and less costly information on delivery payment source, we were interested in assessing the validity and reliability of the birth certificate payment source compared to Medicaid paid claims. We linked Medicaid paid claims to birth certificates for calendar years 2007-2009 (n = 120,626). We measured reliability by Kappa statistic and validity by sensitivity, specificity, predictive value positive and negative. We examined reliability and validity overall and by maternal characteristics (e.g. age, race, ethnicity, education). The Kappa statistic for the birth certificate payment source indicated substantial agreement (0.78; 95 % CL 0.78-0.79). Sensitivity and specificity were also high, 86.3 % (95 % CL 86.0-86 6 %) and 91.9 % (95 % CL 91.7-92.1 %), respectively. The predictive value positive was 87.0 %. The predictive value negative was 91.4 %. Kappa and specificity were lower among women of racial and ethnic minorities, women younger than age 24, and women with less education. The overall Kappa, sensitivity and specificity generally suggest the birth certificate payment source is as valid and reliable as the linked data source. The birth certificate payment source is less valid and reliable for women of racial and ethnic minorities, women younger than age 24, and those with less education. Consequently caution should be exercised when using the birth certificate payment source for monitoring service use by the Medicaid population within specific population subgroups.

Measuring dosage: a key factor when assessing the relationship between prenatal case management and birth outcomes.

To assess whether a measure of prenatal case management (PCM) dosage is more sensitive than a dichotomous PCM exposure measure when evaluating the effect of PCM on low birthweight (LBW) and preterm birth (PTB). We constructed a retrospective cohort study (N = 16,657) of Iowa Medicaid-insured women who had a singleton live birth from October 2005 to December 2006; 28 % of women received PCM. A PCM dosage measure was created to capture duration of enrollment, total time with a case manager, and intervention breadth. Propensity score (PS)-adjusted odds ratios (ORs), and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CIs) were calculated to assess the risk of each outcome by PCM dosage and the dichotomous PCM exposure measure. PS-adjusted ORs of PTB were 0.88 (95 % CI 0.70-1.11), 0.58 (95 % CI 0.47-0.72), and 1.43 (95 % CI 1.23-1.67) for high, medium, and low PCM dosage, respectively. For LBW, the PS-adjusted ORs were 0.76 (95 % CI 0.57-1.00), 0.64 (95 % CI 0.50-0.82), and 1.36 (95 % CI 1.14-1.63), for high, medium, and low PCM dosage, respectively. The PCM dichotomous participation measure was not significantly associated with LBW (OR = 0.95, 95 % CI 0.82-1.09) or PTB (0.97, 95 % CI 0.87-1.10). The reference group in each analysis is No PCM. PCM was associated with a reduced risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes for Medicaid-insured women in Iowa. PCM dosage appeared to be a more sensitive measure than the dichotomous measure of PCM participation.

What factors are associated with state performance on provision of transition services to CSHCN?

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether individual, condition-related, and system-related characteristics are associated with state performance (high, medium, low) on the provision of transition services to children with special health care needs (CSHCN). METHODS: We conducted descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable analyses of 16876 children aged 12 to 17 years by using data from the 2005-2006 National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs. Polytomous logistic regression was used to compare the characteristics of CSHCN residing within high-, medium-, and low-performance states, with low-performance states serving as the reference group. RESULTS: Compared with non-Hispanic white CSHCN, Hispanic (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.25 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.17-0.37]) and non-Hispanic black (aOR: 0.44 [95% CI: 0.30-0.62]) CSHCN were less likely to reside in a high-performance than in a low-performance state. Compared with CSHCN who had a medical home or adequate insurance coverage, CSHCN who did not have a medical home or adequate insurance coverage were less likely to reside in a high-performance than in a low-performance state (aOR: 0.73 [95% CI: 0.57-0.95]; aOR: 0.73 [95% CI: 0.58-0.93], respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Key factors found to be important in a state's performance on provision of transition services to CSHCN were race/ethnicity and having a medical home and adequate insurance coverage. Efforts to support the Maternal and Child Health Bureau's integration of system-level factors in quality-improvement activities, particularly establishing a medical home and attaining and maintaining adequate insurance, are likely to help states improve their performance on provision of transition services.

Estimating Medicaid prenatal case management costs: the provider's perspective.

Many states are faced with Medicaid fiscal constraints; therefore, reimbursable versus un-reimbursable program costs must be clearly delineated. This study demonstrates a method to measure costs for Medicaid prenatal case management.

Factors associated with health care access for Mississippi children with special health care needs.

OBJECTIVES: This purpose of the study was to examine the factors associated with access to routine care and to specialty care for Mississippi children with special health care needs (CSHCN). METHODS: We analyzed data for Mississippi CSHCN from the 2001 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs. Using a modified version of Andersen and Aday's Behavioral Model of Health Services Use, we explored the relationship of independent variables (e.g., demographics, insurance, severity of illness) to dependent variables (did not obtain routine care, did not obtain specialty care). We conducted bivariate and logistic regression analyses using SAS and SUDAAN. RESULTS: Based on self-reported data, with a 61% response rate, 66% of Mississippi CSHCN needed routine health care, and 52.8% needed specialty care. Of these children, 6.5% did not receive routine care and 9.3% did not receive specialty care. In a fully adjusted model, discontinuous insurance coverage was an important factor associated with not having obtained routine care (OR = 7.8; CI = 1.7-35.9) and specialty care (OR = 8.6; CI = 2.0-36.8). Children with a high illness severity rank were more likely to have not obtained routine care than children with a low rank (OR 1.4; CI = 1.1-1.9). CONCLUSIONS: It may be important to establish a health insurance safety net for families who lack insurance continuity since it appears that a lapse in insurance coverage impedes health care access. Further research is needed to understand the relationship between illness severity and lack of health care access, especially for children with special health care needs.

Administrative characteristics of comprehensive prenatal case management programs.

The purpose of this study was to examine comprehensive prenatal case management programs in terms of organizational, program, and process characteristics. Data from 66 program surveys of government agencies were used. Organizational capacity was measured as extent of organizational change and extent of interagency agreements. Program data included age and size of the program, reasons for having case management, and funding diversity. Process data were eight types of interventions. The most highly rated reason for having case management was to improve client outcomes. The greatest organizational change was in the area of the organizational structure, followed by financial status and types of services provided. Contracts with other agencies were rare. Agencies with more interagency contacts reported higher levels of change in the case management department and turnover among mid-level managers. Older programs had fewer employees. Approximately 49% of client contacts were not billed to Medicaid. Larger programs had significantly less time allocated to emotional support and coaching. Data on organizational characteristics, program, and process variables provide insights into comprehensive case management. Relationships among these variables underscore the importance of studying client outcomes within the context of program and organizational idiosyncrasies. Future studies of comprehensive prenatal case management should focus on cross-level questions.