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Effect of Hurricane Sandy on Health Care Services Utilization Under Medicaid

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2016

Mark J. Sharp ,
Mingzeng Sun ,
Tatiana Ledneva ,
Ursula Lauper ,
Cristian Pantea  and
Shao Lin
Mark J. Sharp*
Affiliation:
New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
Mingzeng Sun
Affiliation:
New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
Tatiana Ledneva
Affiliation:
New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
Ursula Lauper
Affiliation:
State University of New York at Albany, School of Public Health, Albany, New York.
Cristian Pantea
Affiliation:
New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
Shao Lin
Affiliation:
State University of New York at Albany, School of Public Health, Albany, New York.
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Mark J. Sharp, PhD, Office of Quality and Patient Safety, New York State Department of Health, ESP Corning Tower Rm 1911, Albany, NY 12237 (e-mail: mark.sharp@health.ny.gov).
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Abstract

Objective

This investigation assessed changes in utilization of inpatient, outpatient, emergency department, and pharmacy services in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy in 8 counties in New York affected by the storm.

Methods

Medicaid data for enrollees residing in 8 counties in New York were used to obtain aggregated daily counts of claims for 4 service types over immediate, 3-month, and 1-year periods following the storm. Negative binomial regression was used to compare service utilization in the storm year with the 2 prior years, within areas differentially affected by the storm.

Results

Changes in service utilization within areas inside or outside the storm zone were most pronounced over the 1-year effect period. Differences in service utilization by year were the same by storm zone designation over the immediate effect period for all services.

Conclusions

Results are consistent with previous investigations demonstrating that some of the greatest effects of a disaster on health services utilization occur well beyond the initial event. One-year effects, combined with some 3-month effects, suggests that storm recovery, with its effect on health care services utilization, may have followed different paths in areas designated as inside or outside the storm zone. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:472–484)

Keywords

Hurricane SandyMedicaidhealth care services utilization
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 10 , Special Issue 3: Superstorm Sandy , June 2016 , pp. 472 - 484
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2016 

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