Children continuously enrolled in Medicaid had lower emergency department use, according to a study published Dec. 22 in Pediatrics.
The study was led by researchers from Ann Arbor-based University of Michigan, Atlanta-based Emory University, Minneapolis-based University of Minnesota and Columbia University in New York City. During the COVID-19 pandemic, legislation prevented states from disenrolling those on Medicaid. The researchers used data from the 2016-2022 National Survey of Children’s Health to evaluate coverage, service use and health status.
Children with continuous public enrollment had a 3.9 percentage point dip in ED use. This trend was even more pronounced for children with special healthcare needs, along with a boost in “excellent general health status” compared to their peers. Continuous eligibility also led to a 3.1 percentage point decrease in coverage gaps.
While other measures of healthcare access and well-being were not associated with this eligibility, “point estimates were in the hypothesized direction,” the study authors wrote.
As Medicaid “unwinding” becomes more common and CMS ends continuous eligibility waivers, the researchers are advocating for eligibility provisions that promote consistency for youths.
“Based on our findings and the broader literature, ending state continuous eligibility initiatives is likely to increase coverage gaps and adversely impact healthcare use for publicly insured children and decrease health status among those with higher healthcare needs,” the researchers wrote.
