Bridging Health and Temporary Housing Services for Medicaid Members Experiencing Homelessness: Program Impact on Health Care Utilization, Costs, and Well-being

This study assesses the effect of participation in a temporary housing program on health care utilization, health services cost, and overall well-being for Medicaid members experiencing homelessness. Medicaid administrative claims were used in difference-in-differences analyses to compare utilizatio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of health care for the poor and underserved 2021-11, Vol.32 (4), p.1949-1964
Main Authors: Gordon, Aliza, Liu, Ying, Tavitian, Katherine, York, Bradley, Finnell, S. Maria, Agiro, Abiy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Case management
Cost analysis
Costs
Emergency exits
Emergency medical services
Emergency services
Government programs
Health care
Health Care Costs
Health care expenditures
Health care policy
Health services
Health services utilization
Homeless people
Homeless Persons
Homelessness
Housing
Housing costs
Humans
Intervention
Medicaid
Medicine
Mental health
Participation
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Pharmacy
Primary care
Primary Health Care
Public private partnerships
Social interactions
Social support
Temporary housing
United States
Utilization
Visits
Well being
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Summary:This study assesses the effect of participation in a temporary housing program on health care utilization, health services cost, and overall well-being for Medicaid members experiencing homelessness. Medicaid administrative claims were used in difference-in-differences analyses to compare utilization and cost of participants with those of individuals on a waiting list for the program (non-participants). Surveys were used to assess changes in well-being of participants from program entry to exit. Compared with non-participants, program participants had 0.20 fewer emergency department visits (p=.04), and 0.14 more primary care physician visits (p=.01) per person per month following program entry compared with prior to entry; medical costs were not significantly different. Compared with program entry, participants self-reported improved rates of social support at program exit. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of a local public-private partnership in reducing emergency utilization, increasing primary care visits, and improving social support.
ISSN:1049-2089
1548-6869
1548-6869
DOI:10.1353/hpu.2021.0175