Half Of Children Enrolled In Medicaid & CHIP Did Not Receive A Followup Visit Within A Week of Hospitalization Or Emergency Department Visit for Suicidal Thoughts Or Behaviors

Half of the child Medicaid beneficiaries and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) members who had an emergency department visit or a hospitalization due to suicidal thoughts or behaviors received no followup visit within a week after discharge, according to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG). Child Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries did not receive any followup visits in the 60 days after their hospitalization or emergency department visit in 21% of cases, the report stated.

In 2023, nearly 225,000 children aged 10 to 17 who were enrolled . . .