Medicaid Insurance Correlates With Increased Resource Utilization Following Total Hip Arthroplasty

With increased restraints and efforts to contain costs in total hip arthroplasty (THA), an emphasis has been placed on risk stratification. The purpose of this study was to determine whether Medicaid patients have increased resource utilization (including 90-day emergency department [ED] visits and readmissions) compared to Medicare or commercial insurance carriers. The study hypothesized that the Medicaid population would represent a high-risk cohort with increased resource utilization.

The institutional database was retrospectively queried for primary THAs from 2013 to 2017 based on Current Procedural Terminology codes and patients undergoing revision surgery were excluded. Demographic information including age, sex, and body mass index (BMI) and medical comorbidities including American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scores were evaluated. Patients were stratified by insurance type and length of stay (LOS), and 90-day ED visits and 90-day readmissions were assessed in univariable and multivariable analysis.

A total of 3674 primary THA patients were included in the analysis (including 116 with Medicaid, 1713 with Medicare, and 1845 with other insurance providers). Medicaid patients had significantly higher ASA scores (P < .001) and BMI (P < .001), with corresponding increase in procedure duration (115 vs 99 vs 105 minutes; P < .001). They had a prolonged LOS (2.5 vs 2.5 vs 1.5 days; P < .001) compared with other insurances, but similar to Medicare patients. Following discharge, in multivariable analysis controlling for age, BMI, and ASA score, Medicare patients were significantly more likely to return to the ED (odds ratio, 3.15; 95% confidence interval, 1.88-5.27; P < .001) and be readmitted (odds ratio, 2.46; 95% confidence interval, 1.26-4.81; P = .009).

Medicaid patients represent a higher risk cohort with increased resource utilization perioperatively, including longer LOS, and more 90-day ED visits and readmissions. This should be considered in outcome assessments and alternative expectations for the episode of care should be set for this population.