How does being part of a pediatric accountable care organization impact health service use for children with disabilities?

Objective: To examine the impact of a Medicaid-serving pediatric accountable care organization (ACO) on health service use by children who qualify for Medicaid by virtue of a disability under the "aged, blind, and disabled" (ABD) eligibility criteria.

Data Sources/study Setting: We evaluated a 2013 Ohio policy change that effectively moved ABD Medicaid children into an ACO model of care using Ohio Medicaid administrative claims data for years 2011-2016.

Study Design: We used a difference-in-difference design to examine changes in patterns of health care service use by ABD-enrolled children before and after enrolling in an ACO compared with ABD-enrolled children enrolled in non-ACO managed care plans.

Satisfaction With Care Coordination for Families of Children With Disabilities.

Introduction: Children with disabilities have significant health care needs, and receipt of care coordinator services may reduce caregiver burdens. The present study assessed caregivers' experience and satisfaction with care coordination.

Method: Caregivers of Medicaid-enrolled children with disabilities (n = 2,061) completed a survey (online or by telephone) collecting information on the caregivers' experiences and satisfaction with care coordination using the Family Experiences with Coordination of Care questionnaire.

Recent Tobacco Smoking is Associated with Poor HIV Medical Outcomes Among HIV-Infected Individuals in New York.

Tobacco smoking is associated with adverse health effects among people living with HIV (PLWH), including a higher risk of cancer and cardiovascular problems. Further, there is evidence that PLWH are two to three times more likely to smoke than the general population. The aim of this study was to examine the association between tobacco smoking and biomarkers of HIV disease progression, including unsuppressed viral load (viral load >200 copies/mL) and low CD4 cell count (<200 cells/mm(3)).

The Association Between Food Insufficiency and HIV Treatment Outcomes in a Longitudinal Analysis of HIV-Infected Individuals in New York City.

Background: To date, there have been few longitudinal studies of food insecurity among people living with HIV (PLWH). Food insufficiency (FI) is one dimension of the food insecurity construct that refers to periods of time during which individuals have an inadequate amount of food intake because of limited resources. The aim of this analysis was to examine the relationship between FI and HIV treatment outcomes among HIV-infected individuals in New York City (NYC).

Crystal methamphetamine use and HIV medical outcomes among HIV-infected men who have sex with men accessing support services in New York.

Background: Drug use poses multiple challenges to maintaining physical health among HIV-infected individuals, particularly with regard to disease progression. Few studies, however, have examined the association between the use of crystal methamphetamine ("crystal meth") and HIV disease progression specifically among HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM). Understanding this relationship among HIV-infected MSM is particularly critical because of the high rates of crystal meth use reported in the population.