Preventable Hospitalizations Among Adult Medicaid Enrollees in 2019

The Issue

Black Medicaid enrollees are significantly more likely to be hospitalized for preventable reasons when compared to their White counterparts. Nonelderly adults enrolled in Medicaid through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program—meaning they live with a qualifying disability—also experience higher rates of preventable hospitalizations.

Key Findings

• The three most common reasons for preventable hospitalizations were asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, and heart failure. 
• For all three conditions, Black Medicaid enrollees were more likely to experience preventable hospitalizations when compared to White enrollees, regardless of SSI status:  

Chart: Share of Previously Diagnosed Medicaid Enrollees with Potentially Preventable Hospitalizations from Asthma/COPD, Heart Failure, and Diabetes by SSI Status and Race, 2019

• Preventable hospitalization rates were significantly higher for adults eligible for Medicaid through SSI compared to those eligible for Medicaid through other pathways: 

Chart: Share of Previously Diagnosed Medicaid Enrollees with Potentially Preventable Hospitalizations for Asthma/COPD, Heart Failure, and Diabetes by SSI Status, 2019

Conclusion

Reducing preventable hospitalizations within Medicaid improves access to care and cuts costs.

About the Author/Grantee

The nonprofit Urban Institute is dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy. For nearly five decades, Urban scholars have conducted research and offered evidence-based solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across a rapidly urbanizing world. Their objective research helps expand opportunities for all, reduce hardship among the most vulnerable, and strengthen the effectiveness of the public sector. Visit the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center for more information specific to its staff and its recent research.