Racial/Ethnic Differences in Association Between Medicaid Expansion and Causes and Costs of Readmission After Acute Ischemic Stroke.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine whether the relative frequency of leading causes and total associated costs of readmission after acute ischemic stroke changed with Medicaid expansion, and how these changes differed by racial/ethnic group. METHODS: We used a difference-in-differences approach to compare changes in the relative frequency of leading causes of unplanned 30-day readmission and to examine changes in the costs associated with unplanned readmission between expansion states (AR, MD, NM, and WA) and non-expansion states (FL and GA). To estimate the differential effect of Medicaid expansion by race/ethnicity on the causes and cost of readmission, we added a time*treatment*race interaction. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to analyze the changes in readmission cause. Gamma log-link modeling was used to study changes in readmission costs for expansion compared to non-expansion states. RESULTS: The final multinomial model showed an association between expanded Medicaid and the relative frequency of sepsis readmission for White patients. According to predictive margins, White patients in expansion states had an estimated increase of 3.3 percentage points in the share of readmissions for sepsis but not for White patients in non-expansion states. In contrast, non-White patients in expansion states had a decrease of 1.8 percentage points in the share of readmissions for sepsis. Overall, Medicaid expansion was associated with a net increase of 6.7 percentage points in the share of readmissions for sepsis among non-Hispanic Whites relative to all other groups. In the final gamma model, Medicaid expansion was associated with a decrease in readmission costs overall. According to predictive margins, the net cost reduction in expansion versus non-expansion states was an average of $2509. CONCLUSIONS: Medicaid expansion is associated with an overall decrease in unplanned readmission costs and an increase among readmitted White patients in the likelihood of readmission for sepsis.

Characteristics of Emergency Department Visits Made by Individuals With Sickle Cell Disease in the U.S., 1999-2020.

Introduction: Individuals living with sickle cell disease experience high levels of morbidity that result in frequent utilization of the emergency department. The objective of this study was to provide updated national estimates of emergency department utilization associated with sickle cell disease in the U.S. Methods: Data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey for the years 1999-2020 were analyzed. Complex survey analysis was utilized to produce national estimates overall and by patient age groups. Results: On average, approximately 222,612 emergency department visits occurred annually among individuals with sickle cell disease, a nearly 13% increase from prior estimates. The annual volume of emergency department visits steadily increased over time, and pain remains the most common patient-cited reason for visiting the emergency department. Patient-reported pain levels for individuals with sickle cell disease were high, with 64% of visits associated with severe pain and 21% associated with moderate pain. Public insurance sources continue to cover most visits, with Medicaid paying for 60% of visits and Medicare paying for 12% of visits. The average time spent in the emergency department increased from previous estimates by about an hour, rising to approximately 6 hours. The average wait time to see a provider was 53 minutes. Conclusions: Utilization of the emergency department by individuals living with sickle cell disease remains high, especially for pain. With more than half of patients with sickle cell disease reporting severe pain levels, emergency department staff should be prepared to assess and treat sickle cell disease-related pain following evidence-based guidelines and recommendations. The findings of this study can help improve care in this population.

Factors associated with postpartum contraception in Togo, West Africa.

The health benefits of postpartum contraception are well established. Using 2013/14 Togo Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data, we examine the association between contraceptive use among women who gave birth within 24 months of the DHS and four health service use indicators - antenatal care, institutional delivery, postpartum care, and immunization of the last child - in addition to socio-demographic factors. Factors associated with postpartum contraceptive use in Togo included having their last birth in a health facility, having a postnatal check within two months of birth, youngest child receiving the first diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus vaccine, wanting to space children more than two years from last birth or not have more children, living outside the Savanes region, husband's desire for number of children agreeing with the woman's, and increasing breastfeeding duration. These findings highlight the need for programming which strengthens the integration of contraception into reproductive and immunization services in Togo.

Feasibility of Technology-Enhanced Faculty Mentorship Use to Increase Retention of Minority Nursing Students.

Mentoring can enhance retention of academically at-risk students. The purpose of this project was to determine the feasibility of technology-enhanced faculty mentorship use in retention of minority undergraduate nursing students. The project consisted of a unique, blended (face-to-face and tablet-based) mentoring approach. Eight faculty mentors and 29 nursing student mentees participated across two cohorts. We used descriptive statistics instead of inferential statistics; therefore our findings are observational instead of inferential. We observed that after participation, the semester passing rate of the students was 100% in the first cohort and 90.5% in the second cohort. Another observation was that the overall program retention rate was improved compared to the preceding year, and that mentee satisfaction ranged from 90.9% to 100%.

Medicaid Expansion and Racial/Ethnic Differences in Readmission After Acute Ischemic Stroke.

To examine whether rates of 30-day readmission after acute ischemic stroke changed differentially between Medicaid expansion and non-expansion states, and whether race/ethnicity moderated this change, we conducted a difference-in-differences analysis using 6 state inpatient databases (AR, FL, GA, MD, NM, and WA) from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. Analysis included all patients aged 19-64 hospitalized in 2012-2015 with a principal diagnosis of ischemic stroke and a primary payer of Medicaid, self-pay, or no charge, who resided in the state where admitted and were discharged alive (N=28 330). No association was detected between Medicaid expansion and readmission overall, but there was evidence of moderation by race/ethnicity. The predicted probability of all-cause readmission among non-Hispanic White patients rose an estimated 2.6 percentage points (or 39%) in expansion states but not in non-expansion states, whereas it increased by 1.5 percentage points (or 23%) for non-White and Hispanic patients in non-expansion states. Therefore, Medicaid expansion was associated with a rise in readmission probability that was 4.0 percentage points higher for non-Hispanic Whites compared to other racial/ethnic groups, after adjustment for covariates. Similar trends were observed when unplanned and potentially preventable readmissions were isolated. Among low-income stroke survivors, we found evidence that 2 years of Medicaid expansion promoted rehospitalization, but only for White patients. Future studies should verify these findings over a longer follow-up period.

Associations of Medicaid Expansion With Access to Care, Severity, and Outcomes for Acute Ischemic Stroke.

BACKGROUND: Multiple states have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, resulting in higher uninsured rates in states with high stroke burdens. This study aimed to evaluate the association of Medicaid expansion with changes in health insurance coverage, severity of presentation, access to care, and outcomes among patients with acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: A retrospective, difference-in-differences analysis of Get With The Guidelines-Stroke registry data. The study population comprised first-time ischemic stroke admissions from 2012 to 2018 for patients aged 19 to 64 in 45 states (27 that expanded Medicaid and 18 that did not). A probable low-income cohort was defined based on having Medicaid, no insurance/self-pay, or undocumented insurance. Outcomes analyzed were indicators of health insurance status, stroke severity, use of emergency services, time to acute care, in-hospital mortality, receipt of rehabilitation, discharge disposition, and level of disability. RESULTS: In the starting population (N=342 765), Medicaid-covered stroke admissions rose from 12.2% to 18.1% in expansion states and from 10.0% to only 10.6% in nonexpansion states, while uninsured admissions declined from 15.0% to 6.7% in expansion states and from 24.0% to 19.2% in nonexpansion states. In the low-income cohort (N=95 086; 28% of starting population), Medicaid expansion was associated with increased odds of discharge to a skilled nursing facility (adjusted odds ratio, 1.33 [95% CI, 1.12-1.59]) and transfer to any rehabilitation facility among those eligible (adjusted odds ratio, 1.24 [95% CI, 1.08-1.41]) and lower odds of discharge home (adjusted odds ratio, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.80-0.98]). Expansion was not associated with any other outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Medicaid expansion is associated with fewer uninsured hospitalizations for acute ischemic stroke and increased rehabilitation at skilled nursing facilities. More targeted interventions may be needed to improve other stroke outcomes in the low-income US population. Future research should evaluate the impact of health care reform on primary stroke prevention.

Prescription drug spending and hospital use among Medicare beneficiaries with heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is a common cause of hospitalization in Medicare. Optimal medication adherence lowers hospitalization risk in HF patients. Although out-of-pocket spending can adversely affect adherence to HF medications, it is unknown whether medication spending ultimately increases hospital use for Medicare beneficiaries with HF. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between out-of-pocket medication payments and HF-related hospital use among Medicare Part D subscribers. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the 2010-12 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. The sample comprised community-dwelling respondents with fee-for-service Medicare, continuous Part D coverage, and self-reported HF (n = 819 participant-year records). The effects of average out-of-pocket payment for a 30-day HF-related prescription on odds and frequency of hospitalization and total inpatient days attributable to HF were estimated. Design-adjusted models adjusted for sociodemographic and health status variables, survey year and censoring, and included a pre-specified interaction of out-of-pocket payment with Medicaid co-eligibility. RESULTS: The interaction term was statistically significant in all the models. For beneficiaries without Medicaid, average out-of-pocket payment per prescription was not significantly associated with odds of HF-related hospitalization (odds ratio = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.98-1.05, P = .399). The association between out-of-pocket payment and hospitalization frequency was statistically significant (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 1.02, 95% CI = 1.00-1.05, P = .048), as was the association between out-of-pocket payment and total inpatient days (IRR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.00-1.08, P = .041). For Medicaid co-eligible beneficiaries, the validity of model estimates is limited, because the range of actual out-of-pocket payments was negligible. CONCLUSIONS: Fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries with Part D, self-reported HF, and no supplemental Medicaid tolerated out-of-pocket medication payments without elevated risk of HF-related hospital use, but medication spending modestly increased hospital use intensity. Therefore, Part D plans with higher out-of-pocket requirements for essential HF medications may warrant additional scrutiny.

Cost-Effectiveness and Challenges of Implementing Intensive Blood Pressure Goals and Team-Based Care.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Review the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and implementation challenges of intensive blood pressure (BP) control and team-based care initiatives. RECENT FINDINGS: Intensive BP control is an effective and cost-effective intervention; yet, implementation in routine clinical practice is challenging. Several models of team-based care for hypertension management have been shown to be more effective than usual care to control BP. Additional research is needed to determine the cost-effectiveness of team-based care models relative to one another and as they relate to implementing intensive BP goals. As a focus of healthcare shifts to value (i.e., cost, effectiveness, and patient preferences), formal cost-effectiveness analyses will inform which team-based initiatives hold the highest value in different healthcare settings with different populations and needs. Several challenges, including clinical inertia, financial investment, and billing restrictions for pharmacist-delivered services, will need to be addressed in order to improve public health through intensive BP control and team-based care.

Prescription Drug Spending and Medication Adherence Among Medicare Beneficiaries with Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that cost sharing adversely affects appropriate prescription drug use for chronic disorders. However, few studies have evaluated this effect in heart failure (HF), the most common cause of hospitalization in Medicare. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether spending on HF pharmacotherapy by Medicare Part D enrollees was associated with prescription refill adherence. METHODS: This correlational study used pooled data from the 2010-2012 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS). The analysis sample consisted of community-dwelling MCBS participants with self-reported HF and continuous Part D coverage during the year of participation. 3 drug classes were analyzed independently: beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). 1,448 weighted participant-year records (derived from 964 individuals) met the inclusion criteria, of which 846 (58%) were included for beta-blockers, 633 (44%) for ACE inhibitors, and 229 (16%) for ARBs. Spending was measured by average out-of-pocket payment for the relevant prescription, standardized to a 30-day supply, as a percentage of average monthly income. Adherence was measured by the medication possession ratio (MPR): total days supplied for all but the last refill divided by number of days between the first and last fills of the year. RESULTS: Accounting for sampling weights, the median (interquartile range) monthly income was $1,472 ($949-$2,466), and average percentage of monthly income spent on a 30-day medication supply was 0.22% for beta-blockers, 0.19% for ACE inhibitors, and 0.90% for ARBs. Mean MPR was 88.9% for beta-blockers, 88.5% for ACE inhibitors, and 90.4% for ARBs. Risk-adjusted models showed that percentage of income spent on a beta-blocker prescription was directly associated with odds of nonadherence (MPR < 80%), odds ratio = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.01-1.89, P = 0.045, and inversely associated with beta-blocker MPR, B = -4.17, SE = 1.23, P = 0.001. No such association was observed for ACE inhibitors or ARBs. CONCLUSIONS: Price sensitivity was evident for beta-blockers but not for antiangiotensin drugs, despite very low out-of-pocket costs and high adherence. This study is relevant to value-based pricing of HF management drugs in Part D plans. DISCLOSURES: No outside funding supported this study. Butler has served as a paid consultant or advisor on unrelated projects for Amgen, Array, Astra Zeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CVRx, G3, Innolife, Janssen, Medtronic, Merck, Novartis, Relypsa, Stealth Peptide, SC Pharma, Vifor, and ZS Pharma. The other authors have no potential conflicts of interest to declare. An early version of this paper was presented as a poster at Sigma Theta Tau International's 28th Nursing Research Congress; July 27-31, 2017; Dublin, Ireland.

Changing HIV clinical knowledge and skill in context: the impact of longitudinal training in the Southeast United States.

In the Southeast United States, HIV care is provided in a context of disproportionate HIV prevalence and barriers to care, including rural locales, higher proportions of African American and uninsured patients, and inadequate health care workforce and infrastructure. The authors describe a regional on-site longitudinal training program developed to target multidisciplinary teams providing HIV primary care at clinical sites in the region. The effect of this training program was evaluated using pre- and 3-month post-program knowledge and skills tests, a post-training evaluation questionnaire, and a post-program focus group. The authors found desired effects, with increases in knowledge and skills and improved capacity of providers to meet patient care needs across all clinical sites despite variations in terms of HIV-infected patient loads. However, the lack of enabling factors present in clinic environments may attenuate the application of new knowledge and skills, underscoring the relevance of teamwork training in HIV care settings.

Media coverage of violent deaths in iraQ: an opportunistic capture-recapture assessment.

INTRODUCTION: Western media coverage of the violence associated with the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq has contrasted in magnitude and nature with population-based survey reports. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent to which first-hand reports of violent deaths were captured in the English language media by conducting in-depth interviews with Iraqi citizens. METHODS: The England-based Iraq Body Count (IBC) has methodically monitored media reports and recorded each violent death in Iraq that could be confirmed by two English language media sources. Using the capture-recapture method, 25 Masters' Degree students were assigned to interview residents in Iraq and asked them to describe 10 violent deaths that occurred closest to their home since the 2003 invasion. Students then matched these reports with those documented in IBC. These reports were matched both individually and crosschecked in groups to obtain a percentage of those deaths captured in the English language media. RESULTS: Eighteen out of 25 students successfully interviewed someone in Iraq. Six contacted individuals by telephone, while the others conducted interviews via e-mail. One out of seven (14%) phone contacts refused to participate. Seventeen out of 18 primary interviewees resided in Baghdad, however, some interviewees reported deaths of neighbors that occurred while the neighbors were elsewhere. The Baghdad residents reported 161 deaths in total, 39 of which (24%) were believed to be reported in the press as summarized by IBC. An additional 13 deaths (8%) might have been in the database, and 61 (38%) were absolutely not in the database. CONCLUSIONS: The vast majority of violent deaths (estimated from the results of this study as being between 68-76%) are not reported by the press. Efforts to monitor events by press coverage or reports of tallies similar to those reported in the press, should be evaluated with the suspicion applied to any passive surveillance network: that it may be incomplete. Even in the most heavily reported conflicts, the media may miss the majority of violent events.