Less Than 15% Of Medicaid Emergency Department Visits For Behavioral Health Followed By A Primary Care Visit To Address The Concern

Among Medicaid beneficiaries who had an emergency department visit for behavioral health, fewer than 15% had a follow-up primary care visit within 30 days that addressed the emergency condition, according to an analysis of Medicaid claims from Washington State. The rate of primary care follow-up to address the emergency condition 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 . . .