Practice Style Variation in Medicaid and Non-Medicaid Children With Complex Chronic Conditions Undergoing Surgery

Objectives: With differential payment between Medicaid and Non-Medicaid services, we asked whether style-of-practice differs between similar Medicaid and Non-Medicaid children with complex chronic conditions (CCCs) undergoing surgery. Summary of Background Data: Surgery in children with CCCs accounts for a disproportionately large percentage of resource utilization at major children's hospitals. Methods: A matched cohort design, studying 23,582 pairs of children with CCCs undergoing surgery (Medicaid matched to Non-Medicaid within the same hospital) from 2009 to 2013 in 41 Children's Hospitals. Patients were matched on age, sex, principal procedure, CCCs, and other characteristics. Results: Median cost in Medicaid patients was $21,547 versus $20,527 in Non-Medicaid patients (5.0% higher, P

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