Quality of hospital care of children with asthma: Medicaid versus privately insured patients

Asthma is an important condition to study in the Medicaid population becaus e if is the most frequent reason for hospital admission of Medicaid childre n, with rates substantially higher than those of non-Medicaid children. Thi s study addressed how the quality of hospital care provided to children wit h asthma on Medicaid compares with that provided to privately insured child ren. Children inpatient records were studied in California, Georgia, and Mi chigan, comparing the care that was provided to standards created by a nati onal panel of physician experts. Process-of-care analysis showed that Medic aid children in each state were more likely than privately insured children to be discharged on suboptimal medication regimens. This study concluded t hat hospitals serving Medicaid children, at least in these three states, ar e providing asthma inpatient care of fairly comparable qualify to that of p rivately insured children. However there remain significant problems surrou nding outpatient medication regimens and follow-up care.