Medicaid expansion: chronically homeless adults will need targeted enrollment and access to a broad range of services

Onsite Primary Care to Address Medical Needs Among Permanent Supportive Housing Tenants: A Feasibility Demonstration Project

BACKGROUND

There is limited evidence on interventions to address the health needs of vulnerable patients in permanent supportive housing (PSH).

AIM, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS

Evaluate the feasibility of Project HOPE, a weekly onsite primary care pilot intervention for tenants of a single-site PSH program.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Physicians, nursing, and pharmacy providers work with existing case managers to provide onsite routine and acute care, outreach, and care coordination. Operations began in November 2020.

PROGRAM EVALUATION

Chart review (n = 26) of electronic health records assessed primary care engagement during the 180 days pre- and post-implementation using paired t tests and McNemar's exact tests, alongside formative observations from site visits and monthly meetings. Compared to the pre period, there was a 50% increase in the proportion of tenants with any primary care engagement (95% CI, 0.24, 0.76), and 84.6% of tenants had at least one visit with Project HOPE. Tenants averaged 2.65 more PCP visits during the post period compared to the pre period (95% CI, 1.60, 3.71). Housing staff perceived improvements in care continuity, chronic disease management, and access to care for tenants.

DISCUSSION

An onsite primary care delivery model led to increases in primary care engagement for high-acuity PSH tenants.

Housing-Related Disparities in Receipt of Breast Cancer Screening Among Women Medicaid Beneficiaries

PURPOSE

People experiencing housing insecurity (PEHI) may face barriers to preventive cancer screening, but the extent to which PEHI receive screening at the population level is understudied. Therefore, this study examined disparities in utilization of breast cancer screening associated with housing insecurity (HI) among women beneficiaries enrolled in a large Medicaid program.

METHODS

We assessed receipt of biennial mammography among women Medicaid beneficiaries, age 50-64 years, in administrative Medicaid data linked to encounter-level records on housing-related services in Pennsylvania (PA; Homelessness Management Information System [HMIS]) from 2011 to 2019. We characterized disparities in screening between beneficiaries with an encounter for housing-related services in HMIS (indicating experience or history of HI) compared with beneficiaries without any such encounters.

RESULTS

We included 73,456 women Medicaid beneficiaries in PA, including 1,792 HMIS service recipients and 71,664 comparison beneficiaries. The mammography rate was 44.8% among HMIS service recipients and 50.1% among comparison beneficiaries, representing a disparity of 5.3 percentage-points (pp; P < .001). This disparity was pronounced between HMIS service recipients with chronic experience of homelessness and comparison beneficiaries (-9.4 pp; P = .036). In stratified analyses, beneficiaries without any primary care visits had the lowest rate of mammography, although realized access to primary care did not eliminate the disparity in screening associated with HI.

CONCLUSION

HI was associated with a significant disparity in mammography among women Medicaid beneficiaries, underscoring the need for efforts to improve preventive care among housing-insecure populations.

Impact of Medicaid expansion on inclusion of medications for opioid use disorder in homeless adults' treatment plans

INTRODUCTION

People experiencing homelessness (PEH) bear disproportionate opioid mortality. This article aims to determine how state Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act impacted the inclusion of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in treatment plans for housed versus homeless individuals.

METHODS

The Treatment Episodes Data Set (TEDS) provided data on 6,878,044 U.S. treatment admissions between 2006 and 2019. Difference-in-differences analysis compared MOUD treatment plans and Medicaid enrollment for housed versus homeless clients in states that did and did not expand Medicaid.

RESULTS

Medicaid expansion was associated with a 35.2 (95 % CI, 11.9 to 58.4) percentage point increase in Medicaid enrollment and an 8.51 (95 % CI, 1.13 to 15.9) percentage point increase in MOUD-inclusive treatment plans for housed and homeless clients alike. Yet the pre-existing MOUD disparity persisted, with PEH being 11.8 (95 % CI, -18.6 to -5.07) percentage points less likely to have MOUD-inclusive treatment plans.

CONCLUSIONS

Medicaid expansion may be an effective tool for increasing MOUD treatment plans for PEH in the 11 states that have not yet implemented the policy, but additional efforts to increase MOUD initiation for PEH will be necessary for closing their treatment gap.

Technically Accessible, Practically Ineligible: The Effects of Medicaid Expansion Implementation on Chronic Homelessness

CONTEXT

Homeless policy advocates viewed Medicaid expansion as an opportunity to enhance health care access for this vulnerable population. We studied Medicaid expansion implementation to assess the extent to which broadening insurance eligibility affected the functioning of municipal homelessness programs targeting chronic homelessness in the context of two separate governance systems.

METHODS

We employed a comparative case study of San Francisco, California, and Shreveport, Louisiana, which were selected as exemplar cases from a national sample of cities across the United States. We conducted elite interviews with a range of local-level stakeholders and combined this data with primary-source documentation.

FINDINGS

Medicaid expansion did not substantially enhance the functioning of homelessness programs and policies because of Medicaid access challenges and governance conflicts. Administrative burden and funding limitations contributed to limited provider networks, inadequate service coverage, and lack of linkages between Medicaid enrollment and homelessness programming. Governance conflicts reinforced these functional challenges, with homelessness under the administration of local municipalities and nongovernmental organizations while states administer Medicaid.

CONCLUSIONS

Improving access to health care services for persons experiencing homelessness cannot occur without intentional coordination between sectors and levels of government and thus necessitates the development of targeted policies and programs to overcome these challenges.

Filling Gaps and Setting Boundaries: Examining Utilization of Health and Social services at JeffHOPE Student Run Clinics

The objective of this study was to describe the frequency that healthcare and social support services offered by JeffHOPE, a student run clinic for people experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia, PA, were utilized by patients. This study also aimed to investigate where patients would seek medical care on a given day had they not been able to access JeffHOPE. This study was conducted via mixed methods consisting of retrospective chart review of patient encounter records and a patient survey conducted weekly throughout 2019, both at a single clinic site, and retrospective chart review of January through March 2020 records at 5 clinic sites. This study found that the frequency of services utilized varied between clinic sites, and that Pharmacy and Procedure committees were the most utilized when examining the combined clinic data. Additionally, the survey found that JeffHOPE provided medical care to those that otherwise would not have sought it. Clinics also served as an alternative to accessing care for non-emergent issues in an Emergency Department (ED) for some patients, but for others it replaced seeing their primary care provider (PCP). This study confirmed that the services offered by JeffHOPE are well-utilized by patients experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia. It also revealed that while the organization's medical services filled care gaps and potentially decreased unnecessary ED visits, they were also sometimes accessed in lieu of a PCP visit. A focused effort on linkage to formal primary care services for all JeffHOPE patients and expanding collection of more granular data to all clinics represent important future endeavors for this student run organization.

Differences in Utilization of Medical and Dental Services among Homeless People in South Korea

(1) Background: Homelessness contributes to both needs for care and barriers to access. This study aimed to explore the utilization of medical or dental services using Andersen's model for a vulnerable population of homeless in South Korea. (2) Methods: The data were applied from the first national survey for homeless people in South Korea, 2016. Totally 2032 persons participated in the interview survey. This study team requested the raw data through the public portal and analyzed them. (3) Results: The participants who were homeless for more than ten years, staying in small rooming house or shelter, non-employed, earning less than 500,000 won per month, and having a medical condition showed a significantly higher chance of using Medicaid. The use of outreach programs had a significant relationship with gender, duration of homelessness, and monthly income. Among dental patients, the homeless who did not consume alcohol, stayed in a shelter, and were employed had higher chances of using dental service. (4) Conclusions: Medicaid service was strongly related to enabling factors but outreach programs with predisposing factors. Dental service showed strong relationships with the enabling domain, but the pattern was opposite: the jobless had less chance to avail it. The policymakers need to consider these domains of service utilization to provide equitable access to healthcare services.

Medicaid Utilization and Spending among Homeless Adults in New Jersey: Implications for Medicaid-Funded Tenancy Support Services

Policy Points Large numbers of homeless adults gained Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act, increasing policymaker interest in strategies to improve care and reduce avoidable hospital costs for homeless populations. Compared with nonhomeless adult Medicaid beneficiaries, homeless adult beneficiaries have higher levels of health care needs, due in part to mental health issues and substance use disorders. Homeless adults are also more likely to visit the emergency department or require inpatient admissions. Emergency care and inpatient admissions may sometimes be avoided when individuals have high-quality community-based care and healthful living conditions. Offering tenancy support services that help homeless adults achieve stable housing may therefore be a cost-effective strategy for improving the health of this vulnerable population while reducing spending on avoidable health care interventions. Medicaid beneficiaries with disabling health conditions and more extensive histories of homelessness experience the most potentially avoidable health care interventions and spending, with the greatest opportunity to offset the cost of offering tenancy support benefits.

CONTEXT

Following Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, the number of homeless adults enrolled in Medicaid has increased. This has spurred interest in developing Medicaid-funded tenancy support services (TSS) for homeless populations as a way to reduce Medicaid spending on health care for these individuals. An emerging body of evidence suggests that such TSS can reduce avoidable health care spending.

METHODS

Drawing on linked Homeless Management Information System and Medicaid claims and encounter data, this study describes the characteristics of homeless adults who could be eligible for Medicaid TSS in New Jersey and compares their Medicaid utilization and spending patterns to matched nonhomeless beneficiaries.

FINDINGS

More than 8,400 adults in New Jersey were estimated to be eligible for Medicaid TSS benefits in 2016, including approximately 4,000 living in permanent supportive housing, 800 formally designated as chronically homeless according to federal guidelines, 1,300 who were likely eligible for the chronically homeless designation, and over 2,000 who were at risk of becoming chronically homeless. Homeless adults in our study were disproportionately between the ages of 30 and 64 years, male, and non-Hispanic blacks. The homeless adults we studied also tended to have very high burdens of mental health and substance use disorders, including opioid-related conditions. Medicaid spending for a homeless beneficiary who was potentially eligible for TSS was 10% ($1,362) to 27% ($5,727) more than spending for a nonhomeless Medicaid beneficiary matched on demographic and clinical characteristics. Hospital inpatient and emergency department utilization accounted for at least three-fourths of "excess" Medicaid spending among the homeless groups.

CONCLUSIONS

A large group of high-need Medicaid beneficiaries could benefit from TSS, and Medicaid funding for TSS could reduce avoidable Medicaid utilization and spending.

Expanding low-threshold buprenorphine to justice-involved individuals through mobile treatment: Addressing a critical care gap

BACKGROUND

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is highly prevalent among justice-involved individuals. While risk for overdose and other adverse consequences of opioid use are heightened among this population, most justice-involved individuals and other high-risk groups experience multiple barriers to engagement in opioid agonist treatment.

METHODS

This paper describes the development of Project Connections at Re-Entry (PCARE), a low-threshold buprenorphine treatment program that engages vulnerable patients in care through a mobile van parked directly outside the Baltimore City Jail. Patients are referred by jail staff or can walk in from the street. The clinical team includes an experienced primary care physician who prescribes buprenorphine, a nurse, and a peer recovery coach. The team initiates treatment for those with OUD and refers those with other needs to appropriate providers. Once stabilized, patients are transitioned to longer-term treatment programs or primary care for buprenorphine maintenance. This paper describes the process of developing this program, patient characteristics and initial outcomes for the first year of the program, and implications for public health practice.

RESULTS

From November 15, 2017 through November 30, 2018, 220 people inquired about treatment services and completed an intake interview, and 190 began treatment with a buprenorphine/naloxone prescription. Those who initiated buprenorphine were primarily male (80.1%), African American (85.1%), had a mean age of 44.1 (SD = 12.2), and a mean of 24.0 (SD = 13.6) years of opioid use. The majority of patients (94.4%) had previous criminal justice involvement, were unemployed (72.9%) and were unstably housed (70.8%). Over a third (32.1%) of patients had previously overdosed. Of those who began treatment, 67.9% returned for a second visit or more, and 31.6% percent were still involved in treatment after 30 days. Of those who initiated care, 20.5% have been transferred to continue buprenorphine treatment at a partnering site.

CONCLUSIONS

The PCARE program illustrates the potential for low-threshold buprenorphine treatment to engage populations who are justice-involved and largely disconnected from care. While more work is needed to improve treatment retention among vulnerable patients and engaging persons in care directly after release from detention, offering on-demand, flexible and de-stigmatizing treatment may serve as a first point to connect high-risk populations with the healthcare system and interventions that reduce risk for overdose and related harms.

Improved Health and Insurance Status Among Cigarette Smokers After Medicaid Expansion, 2011-2016

OBJECTIVES

The high concentration of smokers among subgroups targeted by the Affordable Care Act and the historically worse health and lower access to health care among smokers warrants an evaluation of how Medicaid expansion affects smokers. We evaluated the impact of Medicaid expansion on smoking behavior, access to health care, and health of low-income adults, and we compared outcomes of all low-income people with outcomes of low-income current smokers by states' Medicaid expansion status.

METHODS

We obtained data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2011-2016) for low-income adults aged 18-64. We estimated multivariable linear ordinary least squares probability models using a quasi-experimental difference-in-difference approach to compare smoking behavior, access to health care, and health between people in expansion states and nonexpansion states and, specifically, on low-income adults and the subgroup of low-income current smokers.

RESULTS

Compared with low-income smokers in nonexpansion states, low-income smokers in expansion states were 7.6 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.7-9.6; P < .001) more likely to have health insurance, 3.2 percentage points (95% CI, 1.3-5.2; P = .001) more likely to report good or better health, and 2.0 percentage points (95% CI, -3.9 to -0.1; P = .044) less likely to have cost-related barriers to care. Health and insurance gains among current smokers in expansion states were larger relative to health gains (1.6 percentage points; 95% CI, 0.5-2.7; P = .003) and insurance gains (4.6 percentage points; 95% CI, 3.5-5.8; P < .001) of all low-income adults in these states.

CONCLUSIONS

Greater improvements among low-income smokers in Medicaid expansion states compared with nonexpansion states could influence future smoking behaviors and warrant longer-term monitoring. Additionally, health and insurance gains among low-income smokers in expansion states suggest the potential for Medicaid expansion to improve health among smokers compared with nonsmokers.

The effect of the global financial crisis on preventable hospitalizations among the homeless in New York State

Objective Periods of economic instability may increase preventable hospitalizations because of increased barriers to accessing primary care. For underserved populations such as the homeless, these barriers may be more pronounced due to limited resources in the health care safety net. This study examined the impact of the global financial crisis of 2007-2008 on access to care for the homeless in New York State. Methods Hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) were used as a proxy measure for primary care access. Admissions for ACSCs were identified in the New York State Inpatient Database from 2006 to 2012. Hospitalization rates for ACSCs were calculated for the homeless and nonhomeless. Multivariable linear regression was used to investigate the impact of the financial crisis on hospitalization rates for ACSCs. Results The findings indicate that during the financial crisis, homeless adults had significantly higher preventable hospitalizations than nonhomeless adults, and the uninsured homeless had significantly higher preventable hospitalizations when compared to other homeless subgroups. After the financial crisis, preventable hospitalizations for the homeless stabilized but remained at higher rates than those for the nonhomeless. Conclusions These findings are important to developing health policies designed to provide effective care for underserved population such as the homeless.

The Implications of the Affordable Care Act for Behavioral Health Services Utilization

This analysis estimates the number of currently uninsured adults who may gain coverage and access behavioral health (BH) services under the ACA. Data on BH status, socio-demographic characteristics, insurance coverage, and services utilization were drawn from the 2008-2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was used to estimate changes in services utilization under the ACA. Estimates indicate that 2.8 million adults may receive BH treatment through Medicaid expansions, and 3.1 million through participation in health insurance exchanges. This represents a 40% increase in BH services utilization, primarily for mental health services.

For many patients who use large amounts of health care services, the need is intense yet temporary

Patients who accumulate multiple emergency department visits and hospital admissions, known as super-utilizers, have become the focus of policy initiatives aimed at preventing such costly use of the health care system through less expensive community- and primary care-based interventions. We conducted cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of 4,774 publicly insured or uninsured super-utilizers in an urban safety-net integrated delivery system for the period May 1, 2011-April 30, 2013. Our analysis found that consistently 3 percent of adult patients met super-utilizer criteria and accounted for 30 percent of adult charges. Fewer than half of super-utilizers identified as such on May 1, 2011, remained in the category seven months later, and only 28 percent remained at the end of a year. This finding has important implications for program design and for policy makers because previous studies may have obscured this instability at the individual level. Our study also identified clinically relevant subgroups amenable to different interventions, along with their per capita utilization and costs before and after being identified as super-utilizers. Future solutions include improving predictive modeling to identify individuals likely to experience sustained levels of avoidable utilization, better classifying subgroups for whom interventions are needed, and implementing stronger program evaluation designs.

Substance use among persons with homeless experience in primary care

BACKGROUND

Community survey data suggest high prevalence of substance use disorders among currently homeless individuals. There are less data regarding illicit drug and alcohol use problems of homeless-experienced persons engaged in primary care. They may have less severe use and require different care responses from primary care teams.

METHODS

The authors surveyed currently and formerly homeless, i.e., homeless-experienced, persons engaged in primary care at five federally funded programs in the United States, administering the World Health Organization (WHO) Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). The ASSIST definitions of lower, moderate, and high risk were used to assess a spectrum of lifetime and recent substance use, from any use to likely dependence, and to identify sociodemographic and health status characteristics associated with severity of use.

RESULTS

Almost one half of the sample (N = 601) had recently (within the past three months) used alcohol, and one third had recently used an illicit drug. The most commonly used illicit drugs in the past three months were cannabis (19%), cocaine (16%), and opioids (7.5%). Over one half (59%) of respondents had ASSIST-defined moderate- or high-risk substance use. A significant proportion (31%) of those identified as at moderate risk had no recent substance use, but did report past problematic use. Ten percent of the lower-risk group had past problematic use of alcohol. Severity of use was associated with worse health status, but not with housing status or type of homelessness experienced.

CONCLUSIONS

Less severe (moderate-risk) use and past problematic use, potentially indicative of remitted substance use disorders, were more common than high-risk use in this primary care, homeless-experienced sample. These findings highlight the urgency of identifying effective ways to reduce risky substance use and prevent relapse in homeless-experienced persons.

Health-Related Outcomes among the Poor: Medicaid Expansion vs. Non-Expansion States

Introduction

States’ decisions not to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) could potentially affect access to care and health status among their low-income residents.

Methods

The 2010–2012 nationally representative Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data were analyzed in 2015 to compare 9755 low-income adults aged 18–64 years from Medicaid-expanding states with 7455 adults from nonexpanding states. Multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to evaluate the differences in access to care, receipt of preventive services, quality of care, attitudes about health and self-reported health status by Medicaid expansion status. The differences in care utilization and medical expenditures between the two groups were examined using a 2-part modeling approach.

Results

Compared to their counterparts in Medicaid expansion states, low income adults in the nonexpanding states were more likely to be black and reside in rural areas and were less likely to have a usual source of care (prevalence ratio[PR] 0.86, 95% confidence interval[CI] 0.82–0.91) and recommended preventive services such as dental checkups (PR = 0.86; CI = 0.79–0.94), routine checks (PR = 0.89; CI = 0.83–0.95), flu vaccinations (PR = 0.89; CI = 0.81–0.98), and blood pressure checks (PR = 0.96; CI = 0.94–0.99). They also had less care utilization, fewer prescriptions, and less medical expenditures, but more out-of-pocket expenditures (all p-value <0.05).

Conclusions

Low-income adults in Medicaid nonexpanding states, who are disproportionately represented by blacks and rural residents, were worse off for multiple health-related outcomes compared to their counterparts in Medicaid expanding states at the baseline of ACA implementation, suggesting that low income adults residing in nonexpanding states may benefit markedly from the expansion of Medicaid.

The Potential Explanatory Role of Perceived Stress in Associations Between Subjective Social Status and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Homeless Smokers

Homeless individuals smoke at high rates relative to the general population and are at heightened risk of tobacco-related illnesses and poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Homeless smokers also report low subjective social status (SSS) or perceived social standing relative to others. SSS may contribute to poor HRQoL, potentially through perceived stress. The current study examined the role of perceived stress in the association of SSS and HRQoL among 227 (70.9% male, Mage = 43.2) homeless smokers. Participants completed self-report measures of SSS, perceived stress, and HRQoL. Perceived stress partially explained the relation between SSS (United States and Community) and HRQoL in covariate-adjusted analyses. Results suggested that perceived stress is a pathway through which SSS contributes to HRQoL among homeless smokers. Findings broaden current understanding of the impact of social disadvantage and perceived stress on HRQoL among homeless smokers.

The Effects of Medicaid Eligibility on Mental Health Services and Out-of-Pocket Spending for Mental Health Services

OBJECTIVE

Millions of low-income Americans will gain health insurance through Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. This study assesses the impact of previous Medicaid expansions on mental health services utilization and out-of-pocket spending.

DATA SOURCES

Secondary data from the 1998-2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component merged with National Health Interview Survey and state Medicaid eligibility rules data.

STUDY DESIGN

Instrumental variables regression models were used to estimate the impact of expanded Medicaid eligibility on health insurance coverage, mental health services utilization, and out-of-pocket spending for mental health services.

DATA EXTRACTION METHODS

Person-year files were constructed including adults ages 21-64 under 300 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

Medicaid expansions significantly increased health insurance coverage and reduced out-of-pocket spending on mental health services for low-income adults. Effects of expanded Medicaid eligibility on out-of-pocket spending were strongest for adults with psychological distress. Expanding Medicaid eligibility did not significantly increase the use of mental health services.

CONCLUSIONS

Previous Medicaid eligibility expansions did not substantially increase mental health service utilization, but they did reduce out-of-pocket mental health care spending.

Barriers to Homeless Persons Acquiring Health Insurance Through the Affordable Care Act

BACKGROUND

Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is intended to provide a framework for increasing health care access for vulnerable populations, including the 1.2 million who experience homelessness each year in the United States.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to characterize homeless persons' knowledge of the ACA, identify barriers to their ACA enrollment, and determine access to various forms of communication that could be used to facilitate enrollment.

METHODS

At an urban county Level I trauma center, we interviewed all noncritically ill adults who presented to the emergency department (ED) during daytime hours and were able to provide consent. We assessed access to communication, awareness of the ACA, insurance status, and barriers preventing subjects from enrolling in health insurance and compared homeless persons' responses with concomitantly enrolled housed individuals.

RESULTS

Of the 650 enrolled subjects, 134 (20.2%) were homeless. Homeless subjects were more likely to have never heard of the ACA (26% vs. 10%). "Not being aware if they qualify for Medicaid" was the most common (70%) and most significant (30%) barrier to enrollment reported by uninsured homeless persons. Of homeless subjects who were unsure if they qualified for Medicaid, 91% reported an income < 138% of the federal poverty level, likely qualifying them for enrollment. Although 99% of housed subjects reported access to either phone or internet, only 74% of homeless subjects reported access.

CONCLUSIONS

Homeless persons report having less knowledge of the ACA than their housed counterparts, poor understanding of ACA qualification criteria, and limited access to phone and internet. ED-based outreach and education regarding ACA eligibility may increase their enrollment.

Diabetes and hypertension prevalence in homeless adults in the United States: a systematic review and meta-analysis

We estimated hypertension and diabetes prevalence among US homeless adults compared with the general population, and investigated prevalence trends. We systematically searched 5 databases for published studies (1980-2014) that included hypertension or diabetes prevalence for US homeless adults, pooled disease prevalence, and explored heterogeneity sources. We used the National Health Interview Survey for comparison. We included data from 97366 homeless adults. The pooled prevalence of self-reported hypertension was 27.0% (95% confidence interval=23.8%, 29.9%; n=43 studies) and of diabetes was 8.0% (95% confidence interval=6.8%, 9.2%; n=39 studies). We found no difference in hypertension or diabetes prevalence between the homeless and general population. Additional health care and housing resources are needed to meet the significant, growing burden of chronic disease in the homeless population.

Access to Primary Care Services Among the Homeless

Objective: To identify barriers and facilitators to primary care access among the homeless using the Equity of Access to Medical Care Framework and to provide recommendations for medical and public health practitioners to improve health among this underserved population. Methods: A quasi-systematic review of the literature was conducted using the PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases. Study elements from articles in the final analysis were extracted and categorized into dimensions of access from the Framework. Results: The review identified multiple barriers to primary care access for the homeless. This included lack of insurance coverage and competing priorities. Facilitators to access included tailored health care delivery systems and having a regular source of care. Conclusion: This review provides evidence that health policy initiatives, patient-centered care, and targeted interventions can assist with improving primary care access among the homeless.

Preventable hospital admissions among the homeless in California: a retrospective analysis of care for ambulatory care sensitive conditions

Background

Limited research exists that investigates hospital admissions for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs) among the homeless, who frequently lack a usual source of care. This study profiled ACSC admissions for homeless patients.

Methods

Bivariate analyses and logistic regression were completed to investigate ACSC and non-ACSC admissions among homeless patients using the 2010 California State Inpatient Database.

Results

Homeless patients admitted for an ACSC were mostly male, non-Hispanic white, and on average 49.9 years old. In the predictive model, the odds of an ACSC admission among homeless patients increased when they were black, admitted to the emergency department or transferred from another health facility. Having Medicare was associated with a decreased odds of an ACSC admission.

Conclusions

Specific characteristics are associated with a greater likelihood of an ACSC admission. Research should examine how these characteristics contribute to ACSC hospitalizations and findings should be linked to programs designed to serve as a safety-net for homeless patients to reduce hospitalizations.

Uninsured veterans who will need to obtain insurance coverage under the patient protection and affordable care act

OBJECTIVES

We examined the number and clinical needs of uninsured veterans, including those who will be eligible for the Medicaid expansion and health insurance exchanges in 2014.

METHODS

We analyzed weighted data for 8710 veterans from the 2010 National Survey of Veterans, classifying it by veterans' age, income, household size, and insurance status.

RESULTS

Of 22 million veterans, about 7%, or more than 1.5 million, were uninsured and will need to obtain coverage by enrolling in US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) care or the Medicaid expansion or by participating in the health insurance exchanges. Of those uninsured, 55%, or more than 800 000, are likely eligible for the Medicaid expansion if states implement it. Compared with veterans with any health coverage, those who were uninsured were younger and more likely to be single, Black, and low income and to have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.

CONCLUSIONS

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is likely to have a considerable impact on uninsured veterans, which may have implications for the VA, the Medicaid expansion, and the health insurance exchanges.