AHRQ report shows highest hospital readmission rates among Medicaid patients

One of every 10 adult Medicaid patients who were hospitalized in 2007 for a medical condition other than childbirth had to be readmitted at least once within 30 days of their initial hospital stay that year, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The federal agency's analysis shows that these Medicaid patients were 70 percent more likely to be readmitted at least once within 30 days, compared with their privately insured counterparts.

The analysis also found that the number of underlying health problems Medicaid patients had increased their likelihood of readmission. For example, 14 percent of Medicaid patients with three or more underlying health problems were readmitted within 30 days of their previous hospital stay compared with 10 percent of those who had no health problems other than the one for which they were admitted.

The highest hospital readmission rates among Medicaid patients were for:

• HIV /AIDS - 17 percent
• Blood-related disorders - 14 percent
• Alcohol or substance abuse - 13 percent
• Kidney and urinary tract disorders - 12 percent
• Gall bladder, liver and pancreatic problems - 12 percent
• Mental disorders - 12 percent
• Infections - 12 percent
• Respiratory disorders - 11 percent
• Diabetes and related metabolic problems - 11 percent

High hospital readmission rates have been drawing increasing attention from policymakers because they may reflect issues with the health care provided in the hospitals or lack of discharge planning and outpatient follow-up and they have the potential to drive up health care costs.