Less Than 15% Of Medicaid Emergency Department Visits For Behavioral Health Followed By A Condition-Concordant Primary Care Visit Within 30 Days

Among Medicaid beneficiaries who had an emergency department visit for behavioral health conditions, fewer than 15% received condition-concordant primary care follow-up within 30 days, according to an analysis of Medicaid claims from Washington State. The follow-up care rate was even lower among non-Hispanic Black beneficiaries and those experiencing homelessness. The researchers concluded that racial and social differences in care access and coordination following emergency department visits indicate a need for tailored care coordination and outreach strategies, such as care navigation and primary care street medicine.

The analysis was based on 859,043 Medicaid emergency department visit . . .