Interruptions in Medicaid Coverage and Risk for Hospitalization for Ambulatory Care-Sensitive Conditions

Andrew B. Bindman, MD; Arpita Chattopadhyay, PhD; and Glenna M. Auerback, MPH Annals of Internal Medicine 16 December 2008 Volume 149 Issue 12 Pages 854-860 A review of hospital discharge data in California revealed that interruptions in Medicaid coverage increased the risk of hospitalization for ambulatory care–sensitive conditions such as heart failure, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which can often be managed in an outpatient setting. Hospital admissions for these conditions may signal a decline in health status among patients who no longer have access to preventive and primary care services because of an interruption in their health care coverage.