Durability of Protection Against COVID-19 Through the Delta Surge for the NVX-CoV2373 Vaccine.

BACKGROUND: Protein-based vaccines for COVID-19 provide a traditional vaccine platform with long-lasting protection for non-SARS-CoV-2 pathogens and may complement messenger RNA vaccines as a booster dose. While NVX-CoV2373 showed substantial early efficacy, the durability of protection has not been delineated. METHODS: The PREVENT-19 vaccine trial employed a blinded crossover design; the original placebo arm received NVX-CoV2373 after efficacy was established. Using novel statistical methods that integrate surveillance data of circulating strains with post-crossover cases, we estimated placebo-controlled vaccine efficacy and durability of NVX-CoV2373 against both pre-Delta and Delta strains of SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS: Vaccine efficacy against pre-Delta strains of COVID-19 was 89% (95% CI: 75%, 95%) and 87% (72%, 94%) at 0 and 90 days after 2 doses of NVX-CoV2373, respectively, with no evidence of waning (p=0.93). Vaccine efficacy against the Delta strain was 88% (71%, 95%), 82% (56%, 92%), and 77% (44%, 90%) at 40, 120, and 180 days, respectively, with evidence of waning (p<0.01). In sensitivity analyses, the estimated Delta vaccine efficacy at 120 days ranged from 66% (15%, 86%) to 89% (74%, 95%) per various assumptions of the surveillance data. CONCLUSION: NVX-CoV2373 has high initial efficacy against pre-Delta and Delta strains of COVID-19 with little evidence of waning for pre-Delta strains through 90 days and moderate waning against Delta strains over 180 days.

Impact of the Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion on Weight Loss among Community Health Center Patients with Obesity.

Context: Obesity affects over 40% of the US population and is linked to multiple preventable health conditions which can cause premature morbidity and mortality. Weight loss of at least 5% in patients with obesity reduces their risk of comorbid conditions and leads to improvement in some conditions, such as diabetes. Patients with obesity from underserved populations are less likely to access primary and preventive care services. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) improved access to care, which may in turn improve access to obesity prevention and treatment and assist with weight loss. Objective: Assess whether the proportion of patients with a weight loss ≥5% was higher in states that expanded Medicaid relative to non-expansion states among patients with obesity receiving care in community health centers (CHCs) which provide health care to underserved patients. Study Design: Retrospective observational cohort study. Setting: Electronic health record data from the ADVANCE (Advancing Data Value Across a National Community Health Center) clinical research network, during years 2012-2017. Population Studied: Patients from 346 CHCs age 19-64 with a body mass index of ≥ 30 kg/m2 during the pre-ACA period (n=34,027). Outcome measures: Proportion of patients with weight loss >5% (WL5+) from pre- to post-ACA. Medicaid expansion status (expansion vs. non-expansion states) stratified by pattern of insurance (uninsured, continuously insured, newly insured, discontinuously insured) and race and ethnicity. Results: The proportion of patients with WL5+ for newly insured patients was greater in expansion (26%) than non-expansion states (20%) (χ2=9.75, p=0.002). Among newly insured patients, Hispanic (22%) and Black (29%) patients residing in expansion states, had larger proportion of patients with WL5+ than those in non-expansion states (20% and 18%, respectively). No differences were observed among non-Hispanic White patients (expansion 28% vs non-expansion 27%). Conclusions: The findings suggest greater improvement in weight management among patients residing in expansion states than those in non-expansion states, especially among racial and ethnic minorities receiving care in CHCs.

Latino Adolescent-Mother Language Concordance, Neighborhood Deprivation, and Vaccinations in Community Health Centers.

INTRODUCTION: Latino adolescents may face numerous barriers) to recommended vaccinations. There is little research on the association between Latino adolescent-mother preferred language concordance and vaccination completion and if it varies by neighborhood. To better understand the social/family factors associated with Latino adolescent vaccination, we studied the association of adolescent-mother language concordance and neighborhood social deprivation with adolescent vaccination completion. METHODS: We employed a multistate, electronic health record (EHR) based dataset of community health center patients to compare three Latino groups: (1) English-preferring adolescents with English-preferring mothers, (2) Spanish-preferring adolescents with Spanish-preferring mothers, and (3) English-preferring adolescents with Spanish-preferring mothers with non-Hispanic white adolescent-mother pairs for human papilloma virus (HPV), meningococcal, and influenza vaccinations. We adjusted for mother and adolescent demographics and care utilization and stratified by the social deprivation of the family's neighborhood. RESULTS: Our sample included 56,542 adolescent-mother dyads. Compared with non-Hispanic white dyads, all three groups of Latino dyads had higher odds of adolescent HPV and meningococcal vaccines and higher rates of flu vaccines. Latino dyads with Spanish-preferring mothers had higher vaccination odds/rates than Latino dyads with English-preferring mothers. The effects of variation by neighborhood social deprivation in influenza vaccination rates were minor in comparison to differences by ethnicity/language concordance. CONCLUSION: In a multistate analysis of vaccinations among Latino and non-Latino adolescents, English-preferring adolescents with Spanish-preferring mothers had the highest completion rates and English-preferring non-Hispanic white dyads the lowest. Further research can seek to understand why this language dyad may have an advantage in adolescent vaccination completion.

Latino adolescents may face numerous barriers to preventive care­especially routine immunizations, but analyses often focus on single or few factors that may affect the utilization of these services. Our analysis of not only the language preference of Latino adolescents, but the preferred language of their mothers and their neighborhood social adversity demonstrates that English-preferring Latino adolescents with Spanish preferring mothers were most likely to utilize all immunizations we studied, and there were differences in utilization among Latino families by language concordance. This adds to our knowledge of Latino adolescent health care utilization by demonstrating the differences in Latino families, and suggesting that many of these families may have assets for service utilization from which we can learn.

Outpatient Management of COVID-19: Rapid Evidence Review.

New COVID-19 variants of concern continue to develop. Incubation period, transmissibility, immune escape, and treatment effectiveness differ by variants of concern. Physicians should be aware that the characteristics of the predominant variants of concern determine aspects of diagnosis and treatment. Multiple testing modalities exist; the most appropriate testing strategy varies depending on the clinical scenario, with factors of test sensitivity, turnaround time, and the expertise required for specimen collection. Three types of vaccines are available in the United States, and all people six months and older should be encouraged to receive one because vaccination is effective in reducing the incidence of and hospitalizations and deaths associated with COVID-19. Vaccination may also reduce the incidence of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (i.e., long COVID). Consider medications, such as nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, as first-line treatment for eligible patients diagnosed with COVID-19 unless logistical or supply constraints occur. National Institutes of Health guidelines and local health care partner resources can be used to determine eligibility. Long-term health effects of having COVID-19 are under investigation.

Use of Telehealth for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in Safety Net Primary Care Settings: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a marked increase in telehealth for the provision of primary care-based opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. This mixed methods study examines characteristics associated with having the majority of OUD-related visits via telehealth versus in-person, and changes in mode of delivery (in-person, telephone, video) over time. Methods: Logistic regression was performed using electronic health record data from patients with ≥1 visit with an OUD diagnosis to ≥1 of the two study clinics (Rural Health Clinic; urban Federally Qualified Health Center) and ≥1 OUD medication ordered from 3/8/2020-9/1/2021, with >50% of OUD visits via telehealth (vs. >50% in-person) as the dependent variable and patient characteristics as independent variables. Changes in visit type over time were also examined. Inductive coding was used to analyze data from interviews with clinical team members (n = 10) who provide OUD care to understand decision-making around visit type. Results: New patients (vs. returning; OR = 0.47;95%CI:0.27-0.83), those with ≥1 psychiatric diagnosis (vs. none; OR = 0.49,95%CI:0.29-0.82), and rural clinic patients (vs. urban; OR = 0.05; 95%CI:0.03-0.08) had lower odds of having the majority of visits via telehealth than in-person. Patterns of visit type varied over time by clinic, with the majority of telehealth visits delivered via telephone. Team members described flexibility for patients as a key telehealth benefit, but described in-person visits as more conducive to building rapport with new patients and those with increased psychological burden. Conclusion: Understanding how and why telehealth is used for OUD treatment is critical for ensuring access to care and informing OUD-related policy decisions.

Characterizing acute and chronic complications among patients with diabetes mellitus in community health centers.

Context: Diabetes mellitus affects about 10% of the world's population and can lead to serious complications, which reduce life quality and expectancy. People with low income have higher risk of diabetes complications than those with high income, but data on the trends of diabetes complications in underserved populations are scarce. Community health centers (CHCs) serve millions of patients in the United States regardless of their health insurance status and are an ideal setting for assessing the rate of diabetes complications in underserved populations. Objectives: To describe diabetes-related acute and chronic complications among patients served by CHCs. Study Design: Retrospective cohort study of electronic health record data from the ADVANCE clinical research network. Population studied: Patients with diabetes between ages 19 and 64 (excluding pregnant women) and ≥1 primary care ambulatory CHC visit in 2017 (N=85,442). Outcome Measures: Rates and type of diabetes-related acute and chronic complications recorded in 2017. Results: The incidence of acute complications among patients with diabetes in 2017 was 14%. Patients experiencing acute diabetes-related complications had on average 1.8 complications (range 1-33). The most common acute complications were infections (58.3%), abnormal blood glucose or related metabolic abnormalities (20.5%), and strokes or transient neurological deficits (6.8%). Patients with acute complications were proportionally more likely to be female, non-Hispanic white, have Medicaid insurance, out-of-control diabetes, a prescription for insulin, a diagnosis of substance use disorder, and co-occurring physical or mental conditions. For chronic complications, the prevalence in 2017 was 77% among patients with diabetes. Patients experiencing chronic diabetes-related complications had on average 2.3 complications (range 1-19). The most common chronic complications were cardiovascular disease (33.9%), endocrine/metabolic symptoms (22.8%), and neurological symptoms (13.0%). Patients with chronic complications were proportionally more likely to be male, non-Hispanic black, have health insurance, obesity, substance use disorder, longer period with diabetes diagnosis, and co-occurring conditions. Conclusions: The vast majority of patients with diabetes receiving care in CHCs had chronic complications. These findings are concerning, as diabetes-related complications are associated with greater healthcare utilization and patient morbidity.

Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion and access to primary-care based smoking cessation assistance among cancer survivors: an observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Smoking among cancer survivors can increase the risk of cancer reoccurrence, reduce treatment effectiveness and decrease quality of life. Cancer survivors without health insurance have higher rates of smoking and decreased probability of quitting smoking than cancer survivors with health insurance. This study examines the associations of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid insurance expansion with smoking cessation assistance and quitting smoking among cancer survivors seen in community health centers (CHCs). METHODS: Using electronic health record data from 337 primary care community health centers in 12 states that expanded Medicaid eligibility and 273 CHCs in 8 states that did not expand, we identified adult cancer survivors with a smoking status indicating current smoking within 6 months prior to ACA expansion in 2014 and ≥ 1 visit with smoking status assessed within 24-months post-expansion. Using an observational cohort propensity score weighted approach and logistic generalized estimating equation regression, we compared odds of quitting smoking, having a cessation medication ordered, and having ≥6 visits within the post-expansion period among cancer survivors in Medicaid expansion versus non-expansion states. RESULTS: Cancer survivors in expansion states had higher odds of having a smoking cessation medication order (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.54, 95%CI = 1.61-4.03) and higher odds of having ≥6 office visits than those in non-expansion states (aOR = 1.82, 95%CI = 1.22-2.73). Odds of quitting smoking did not differ significantly between patients in Medicaid expansion versus non-expansion states. CONCLUSIONS: The increased odds of having a smoking cessation medication order among cancer survivors seen in Medicaid expansion states compared with those seen in non-expansion states provides evidence of the importance of health insurance coverage in accessing evidence-based tobacco treatment within CHCs. Continued research is needed to understand why, despite increased odds of having a cessation medication prescribed, odds of quitting smoking were not significantly higher among cancer survivors in Medicaid expansion states compared to non-expansion states.

The impact of capitated payment on preventive care utilization in community health clinics.

Only half of the United States population regularly receives recommended preventive care services. Alternative payment models (e.g., a per-member-per-month capitated payment model) may encourage the delivery of preventive services when compared to a fee-for-service visitbased model; however, evaluation is lacking in the United States. This study assesses the impact of implementing Oregon's Alternative Payment Methodology (APM) on orders for preventive services within community health centers (CHCs). This retrospective cohort study uses electronic health record data from the OCHIN, Inc., 2012-2018, analyzed in 2018-2019. Twenty-seven CHCs which implemented APM in 2013-2016 were compared to six non-APM CHCs. Clinic-level quarterly rates of ordering nine preventive services in 2012-2018 were calculated. For each phase and preventive service, we used difference-in-differences analysis to assess the APM impact on ordering preventive care. We found greater increases for APM CHCs compared to non-APM CHCs for orders of mammograms (difference-in-differences estimates (DDs) across four phases:1.69-2.45). Both groups had decreases in ordering cervical cancer screenings, however, APM CHCs had smaller decreases (DDs:1.62-1.93). The APM CHCs had significantly greater decreases in influenza vaccinations (DDs:0.17-0.32). There were no consistent significant differences in pre-post changes in APM vs. non-APM CHCs for cardiometabolic risk screenings, smoking status and depression assessments. There was nonsignificant change in the proportion of nontraditional encounters in APM clinics compared to controls. Transition from fee-for-service to an APM did not negatively impact delivery of preventive care. Further studies are needed to understand how to change encounter structures to best deliver recommended preventive care.

The Affordable Care Act improved health insurance coverage and cardiovascular-related screening rates for cancer survivors seen in community health centers.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the impact of Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion on health insurance rates and receipt of cardiovascular-related preventive screenings (body mass index, glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c], low-density lipoproteins, and blood pressure) for cancer survivors seen in community health centers (CHCs). METHODS: This study identified cancer survivors aged 19 to 64 years with at least 3 CHC visits in 13 states from the Accelerating Data Value Across a National Community Health Center Network (ADVANCE). Via inverse probability of treatment weighting multilevel multinomial modeling, insurance rates before and after the ACA were estimated by whether a patient lived in a state that expanded Medicaid, and changes between a pre-ACA time period and 2 post-ACA time periods were assessed. RESULTS: The weighted estimated sample size included 409 cancer survivors in nonexpansion states and 2650 in expansion states. In expansion states, the proportion of uninsured cancer survivors decreased significantly from 20.3% in 2012-2013 to 4.5%in 2016-2017, and the proportion of those with Medicaid coverage increased significantly from 38.8% to 55.6%. In nonexpansion states, there was a small decrease in uninsurance rates (from 33.6% in 2012-2013 to 22.5% in 2016-2017). Cardiovascular-related preventive screening rates increased over time in both expansion and nonexpansion states: HbA1c rates nearly doubled from the pre-ACA period (2012-2013) to the post-ACA period (2016-2017) in expansion states (from 7.2% to 12.8%) and nonexpansion states (from 9.3% to 16.8%). CONCLUSIONS: This study found a substantial decline in uninsured visits among cancer survivors in Medicaid expansion states. Yet, 1 in 5 cancer survivors living in a state that did not expand Medicaid remained uninsured. Several ACA provisions likely worked together to increase cardiovascular-related preventive screening rates for cancer survivors seen in CHCs.

Using Electronic Health Records in Longitudinal Studies: Estimating Patient Attrition.

BACKGROUND: Electronic health records (EHRs) provide rich data on many domains not routinely available in other data, as such, they are a promising source to study changes in health outcomes using longitudinal study designs (eg, cohort studies, natural experiments, etc.). Yet, patient attrition rates in these data are unknown. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to estimate overall and among adults with diabetes or hypertension: (1) patient attrition over a 3-year period at community health centers; and (2) the likelihood that patients with Medicaid permanently switched their source of primary care. RESEARCH DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of 2012-2017 data from the Accelerating Data Value Across a National Community Health Center Network (ADVANCE) Clinical Data Research Network of community health centers were used to assess EHR data attrition. Oregon Medicaid enrollment and claims data were used to estimate the likelihood of changing the source of primary care. SUBJECTS: A total of 827,657 patients aged 19-64 with ≥1 ambulatory visit from 76 community health center systems across 20 states. In all, 232,891 Oregon Medicaid enrollees (aged 19-64) with a gap of ≥6 months following a claim for a visit billed to a primary care source. MEASURES: Percentage of patients not returning within 3 years of their qualifying visit (attrition). The probability that a patient with Medicaid permanently changed their primary care source. RESULTS: Attrition over the 3 years averaged 33.5%; attrition rates were lower (<25%) among patients with diabetes and/or hypertension. Among Medicaid enrollees, the percentage of provider change after a 6-month gap between visits was 12% for community health center patients compared with 39% for single-provider practice patients. Over 3 years, the likelihood of a patient changing to a new provider increased with length of time since their last visit but remained lowest among community health center patients. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the use of the EHR dataset is a reliable source of data to support longitudinal studies while highlighting variability in attrition by primary care source and chronic conditions.

Disparities in Biomarkers for Patients With Diabetes After the Affordable Care Act.

BACKGROUND: Racial and ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected by diabetes and at greater risk of experiencing poor diabetes-related outcomes compared with non-Hispanic whites. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was implemented to increase health insurance coverage and reduce health disparities. OBJECTIVE: Assess changes in diabetes-associated biomarkers [hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and low-density lipoprotein] 24 months pre-ACA to 24 months post-ACA Medicaid expansion by race/ethnicity and insurance group. RESEARCH DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of community health center (CHC) patients. SUBJECTS: Patients aged 19-64 with diabetes living in 1 of 10 Medicaid expansion states with ≥1 CHC visit and ≥1 HbA1c measurement in both the pre-ACA and the post-ACA time periods (N=13,342). METHODS: Linear mixed effects and Cox regression modeled outcome measures. RESULTS: Overall, 33.5% of patients were non-Hispanic white, 51.2% Hispanic, and 15.3% non-Hispanic black. Newly insured Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites post-ACA exhibited modest reductions in HbA1c levels, similar benefit was not observed among non-Hispanic black patients. The largest reduction was among newly insured Hispanics versus newly insured non-Hispanic whites (P<0.05). For the subset of patients who had uncontrolled HbA1c (HbA1c≥9%) within 3 months of the ACA Medicaid expansion, non-Hispanic black patients who were newly insured gained the highest rate of controlled HbA1c (hazard ratio=2.27; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-4.66) relative to the continuously insured group. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of the ACA Medicaid expansion on health disparities is multifaceted and may differ across racial/ethnic groups. This study highlights the importance of CHCs for the health of minority populations.

The Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion Positively Impacted Community Health Centers and Their Patients.

Community health centers (CHCs) provide primary care for underserved children and adults. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) aimed to strengthen the CHC network by increasing federal funds and expanding Medicaid eligibility. The ACA also aimed to boost preventive and mental health services and to reduce health and healthcare disparities. Here, we summarize our results to-date as experts in investigating the impact of ACA Medicaid expansion on CHCs and the patients they serve. We found the ACA Medicaid expansion increased access to care and preventive services, primarily in Medicaid expansion states. Rates of physical and mental health conditions rose substantially from pre- to post-ACA in expansion states, suggesting underdiagnosis pre-ACA. Disparities in health insurance coverage by race/ethnicity decreased at CHCs, yet some remain. These findings indicate that the ACA Medicaid expansion significantly helped CHCs and patients. Insurance expansion buoyed CHCs' financial viability by increasing reimbursement. Therefore, the ACA Medicaid expansion enhanced the health of underserved patients and repeal would jeopardize these advances for CHCs and their patients.

Private/marketplace insurance in community health centers 5 years post-affordable care act in medicaid expansion and non-expansion states.

Community health centers (CHCs) play an important role in providing care for the safety net population. After implementation of the Affordable Care Act, many patients gained insurance through state and federal marketplaces. Using electronic health record data from 702,663 patients in 257 clinics across 20 states, we sought to explore the following differences between Medicaid expansion and non-expansion state CHCs: (1) trends in private/marketplace insurance post-expansion, and (2) whether CHC patients retain private/marketplace insurance. We found that patients in non-expansion state CHCs relied more heavily on private/marketplace insurance than patients in expansion states and had increases in private/marketplace-insured visits from 2014 through 2018. Additionally, there appeared to be seasonal variation in private/marketplace-insured visits that were more pronounced in non-expansion states. While a greater percentage of patients in non-expansion states retained private/marketplace insurance than in expansion states, a greater percentage of those who did not retain it became uninsured. In comparison, a greater percentage of patients in expansion states who lost private/marketplace insurance gained other types of health insurance. CHCs' ability to provide adequate care for vulnerable populations relies, in part, on federal grants as well as reimbursement from insurers: decreases in either could result in reduced capacity or quality of care for patients seen in CHCs.

Tobacco Cessation in Affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion States Versus Non-expansion States.

INTRODUCTION: Community health centers (CHCs) care for vulnerable patients who use tobacco at higher than national rates. States that expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provided insurance coverage to tobacco users not previously Medicaid-eligible, thereby potentially increasing their odds of receiving cessation assistance. We examined if tobacco users in Medicaid expansion states had increased quit rates, cessation medications ordered, and greater health care utilization compared to patients in non-expansion states. METHODS: Using electronic health record (EHR) data from 219 CHCs in 10 states that expanded Medicaid as of January 1, 2014, we identified patients aged 19-64 with tobacco use status documented in the EHR within 6 months prior to ACA Medicaid expansion and ≥1 visit with tobacco use status assessed within 24 months post-expansion (January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2015). We propensity score matched these patients to tobacco users from 108 CHCs in six non-expansion states (n = 27 670 matched pairs; 55 340 patients). Using a retrospective observational cohort study design, we compared odds of having a quit status, cessation medication ordered, and ≥6 visits within the post-expansion period among patients in expansion versus non-expansion states. RESULTS: Patients in expansion states had increased adjusted odds of quitting (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.28-1.43), having a medication ordered (aOR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.44-1.62), and having ≥6 follow-up visits (aOR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.28-1.41) compared to patients from non-expansion states. CONCLUSIONS: Increased access to insurance via the ACA Medicaid expansion likely led to increased quit rates within this vulnerable population. IMPLICATIONS: CHCs care for vulnerable patients at higher risk of tobacco use than the general population. Medicaid expansion via the ACA provided insurance coverage to a large number of tobacco users not previously Medicaid-eligible. We found that expanded insurance coverage was associated with increased cessation assistance and higher odds of tobacco cessation. Continued provision of insurance coverage could lead to increased quit rates among high-risk populations, resulting in improvements in population health outcomes and reduced total health care costs.

Identifying and characterizing cancer survivors in the US primary care safety net.

BACKGROUND: Primary care providers must understand the use patterns, clinical complexity, and primary care needs of cancer survivors to provide quality health care services. However, to the authors' knowledge, little is known regarding the prevalence and health care needs of this growing population, particularly in safety net settings. METHODS: The authors identified adults with a history of cancer documented in primary care electronic health records within a network of community health centers (CHCs) in 19 states. The authors estimated cancer history prevalence among >1.2 million patients and compared sex-specific site distributions with national estimates. Each survivor was matched to 3 patients without cancer from the same set of clinics. The demographic characteristics, primary care use, and comorbidity burden then were compared between the 2 groups, assessing differences with absolute standardized mean differences (ASMDs). ASMD values >0.1 denote meaningful differences between groups. Generalized estimating equations yielded adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for select indicators. RESULTS: A total of 40,266 cancer survivors were identified (prevalence of 3.0% of adult CHC patients). Compared with matched cancer-free patients, a higher percentage of survivors had ≥6 primary care visits across 3 years (62% vs 48%) and were insured (83% vs 74%) (ASMD, >0.1 for both). Cancer survivors had excess medical complexity, including a higher prevalence of depression, asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and liver disease (ASMD, >0.1 for all). Survivors had higher odds of any opioid prescription (aOR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.19-1.27) and chronic opioid therapy (aOR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.23-1.32) compared with matched controls (P < .001 for all). CONCLUSIONS: Identifying cancer survivors and understanding their patterns of utilization and physical and mental comorbidities present an opportunity to tailor primary health care services to this population.

Where Do Oregon Medicaid Enrollees Seek Outpatient Care Post-affordable Care Act Medicaid Expansion?

BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest the newly Medicaid insured are more likely to use the emergency department (ED) however they did not differentiate between patients established or not established with primary care. OBJECTIVES: To understand where Oregon Medicaid beneficiaries sought care after the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) Medicaid expansion (ED, primary care, or specialist) and the interaction between primary care establishment and outpatient care utilization. RESEARCH DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study. SUBJECTS: Adults continuously insured from 2014 through 2015 who were either newly, returning, or continuously insured post-PPACA. MEASURES: Site of first and last outpatient visit, established with primary care status, and outpatient care utilization. RESULTS: The odds of being established with primary care at their first visit were lower among newly [odds ratio (OR), 0.18; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.18-0.19] and returning insured (OR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.22-0.23) than the continuously insured. Continuously insured, new patients with primary care had higher odds of visiting the ED (OR, 2.15; 95% CI, 2.01-2.30) at their first visit than newly or returning insured. Patients established with a single primary care provider in all insurance groups had lower rates of ED visit, whereas those established with multiple primary care providers had the highest ED visit rates. CONCLUSIONS: Most newly and returning insured Medicaid enrollees sought primary care rather than ED services and most became established with primary care. Our findings suggest that both insurance and primary care continuity play a role in where patients seek health care services.

Cervical and colorectal cancer screening prevalence before and after Affordable Care Act Medicaid expansion.

Community health centers (CHCs), which serve socioeconomically disadvantaged patients, experienced an increase in insured visits after the 2014 Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage options began. Yet, little is known about how cancer screening rates changed post-ACA. Therefore, this study assessed changes in the prevalence of cervical and colorectal cancer screening from pre- to post-ACA in expansion and non-expansion states among patients seen in CHCs. Electronic health record data on 624,601 non-pregnant patients aged 21-64 eligible for cervical or colorectal cancer screening between 1/1/2012 and 12/31/2015 from 203 CHCs were analyzed. We assessed changes in prevalence and screening likelihood among patients, by insurance type and race/ethnicity and compared Medicaid expansion and non-expansion states using difference-in-difference methodology. Female patients had 19% increased odds of receiving cervical cancer screening post- relative to pre-ACA in expansion states [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.09-1.31] and 23% increased odds in non-expansion states (aOR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.05-1.46): the greatest increase was among uninsured patients in expansion states (aOR = 1.36, 95% CI = 1.16-1.59) and privately-insured patients in non-expansion states (aOR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.11-1.84). Colorectal cancer screening prevalence increased from 11% to 18% pre- to post-ACA in expansion states and from 13% to 21% in non-expansion states. For most outcomes, the observed changes were not significantly different between expansion and non-expansion states. Despite increased prevalences of cervical and colorectal cancer screening in both expansion and non-expansion states across all race/ethnicity groups, rates remained suboptimal for this population of socioeconomically disadvantaged patients.

Following Uninsured Patients Through Medicaid Expansion: Ambulatory Care Use and Diagnosed Conditions.

PURPOSE: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) has improved access to health insurance, yet millions remain uninsured. Many patients who remain uninsured access care at community health centers (CHCs); however, little is known about their health conditions and health care use. We assessed ambulatory care use and diagnosed health conditions among a cohort of CHC patients uninsured before enactment of the ACA (pre-ACA: January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2013) and followed them after enactment (post-ACA: January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2015). METHODS: This retrospective cohort analysis used electronic health record data from CHCs in 11 US states that expanded Medicaid eligibility. We assessed ambulatory care visits and documented health conditions among a cohort of 138,246 patients (aged 19 to 64 years) who were uninsured pre-ACA and either remained uninsured, gained Medicaid, gained other health insurance, or did not have a visit post-ACA. We estimated adjusted predicted probabilities of ambulatory care use using an ordinal logistic mixed-effects regression model. RESULTS: Post-ACA, 20.9% of patients remained uninsured, 15.0% gained Medicaid, 12.4% gained other insurance, and 51.7% did not have a visit. The majority of patients had ≥1 diagnosed health condition. The adjusted proportion of patients with high use (≥6 visits over 2 years) increased from pre-ACA to post-ACA among those who gained Medicaid (pre-ACA: 23%, post-ACA: 34%, P <.001) or gained other insurance (pre-ACA: 29%, post-ACA: 48%, P <.001), whereas the percentage fell slightly for those continuously uninsured. CONCLUSIONS: A significant percentage of CHC patients remained uninsured; many who remained uninsured had diagnosed health conditions, and one-half continued to have ≥3 visits to CHCs. CHCs continue to be essential providers for uninsured patients.

Introductory Overview of the Natural Experiments for Translation in Diabetes 2.0 (NEXT-D2) Network: Examining the Impact of US Health Policies and Practices to Prevent Diabetes and Its Complications.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Diabetes incidence is rising among vulnerable population subgroups including minorities and individuals with limited education. Many diabetes-related programs and public policies are unevaluated while others are analyzed with research designs highly susceptible to bias which can result in flawed conclusions. The Natural Experiments for Translation in Diabetes 2.0 (NEXT-D2) Network includes eight research centers and three funding agencies using rigorous methods to evaluate natural experiments in health policy and program delivery. RECENT FINDINGS: NEXT-D2 research studies use quasi-experimental methods to assess three major areas as they relate to diabetes: health insurance expansion; healthcare financing and payment models; and innovations in care coordination. The studies will report on preventive processes, achievement of diabetes care goals, and incidence of complications. Some studies assess healthcare utilization while others focus on patient-reported outcomes. NEXT-D2 examines the effect of public and private policies on diabetes care and prevention at a critical time, given ongoing and rapid shifts in the US health policy landscape.

Electronic health record tools to assist with children's insurance coverage: a mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: Children with health insurance have increased access to healthcare and receive higher quality care. However, despite recent initiatives expanding children's coverage, many remain uninsured. New technologies present opportunities for helping clinics provide enrollment support for patients. We developed and tested electronic health record (EHR)-based tools to help clinics provide children's insurance assistance. METHODS: We used mixed methods to understand tool adoption, and to assess impact of tool use on insurance coverage, healthcare utilization, and receipt of recommended care. We conducted intent-to-treat (ITT) analyses comparing pediatric patients in 4 intervention clinics (n = 15,024) to those at 4 matched control clinics (n = 12,227). We conducted effect-of-treatment-on-the-treated (ETOT) analyses comparing intervention clinic patients with tool use (n = 2240) to intervention clinic patients without tool use (n = 12,784). RESULTS: Tools were used for only 15% of eligible patients. Qualitative data indicated that tool adoption was limited by: (1) concurrent initiatives that duplicated the work associated with the tools, and (2) inability to obtain accurate insurance coverage data and end dates. The ITT analyses showed that intervention clinic patients had higher odds of gaining insurance coverage (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.32, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1.14-1.51) and lower odds of losing coverage (aOR = 0.77, 95%CI 0.68-0.88), compared to control clinic patients. Similarly, ETOT findings showed that intervention clinic patients with tool use had higher odds of gaining insurance (aOR = 1.83, 95%CI 1.64-2.04) and lower odds of losing coverage (aOR = 0.70, 95%CI 0.53-0.91), compared to patients without tool use. The ETOT analyses also showed higher rates of receipt of return visits, well-child visits, and several immunizations among patients for whom the tools were used. CONCLUSIONS: This pragmatic trial, the first to evaluate EHR-based insurance assistance tools, suggests that it is feasible to create and implement tools that help clinics provide insurance enrollment support to pediatric patients. While ITT findings were limited by low rates of tool use, ITT and ETOT findings suggest tool use was associated with better odds of gaining and keeping coverage. Further, ETOT findings suggest that use of such tools may positively impact healthcare utilization and quality of pediatric care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02298361 ; retrospectively registered on November 5, 2014.