Churn in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Changes in Medicaid Expenditure and Acute Care Utilization

Bibliographic Data

ID9104458
AuthorsLiyang Xie (0000-0002-5621-197X, NORC at the University of Chicago, Bethesda, MD, corresponding author), Jason C O’Connor (0000-0002-5901-5640, University of Pittsburgh), Jason O’Connor (University of Pittsburgh), Steven M Albert (0000-0001-6786-9956, University of Pittsburgh), Steven Albert (University of Pittsburgh), Tiffany L Gary‐webb (0000-0001-9843-1084, University of Pittsburgh), Tiffany Gary-Webb (University of Pittsburgh), Michael Sharbaugh (University of Pittsburgh), Julie M Donohue (0000-0003-2418-6017, University of Pittsburgh), Molly Ennis (University of Pittsburgh), Deborah Hutcheson (University of Pittsburgh), Evan S Cole (0000-0002-7873-2952, University of Pittsburgh)
Year2024
Volume62
Issue1
Pages3-10
Publication date2024-01-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueMedical Care (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0025-7079 • E-ISSN: 1537-1948
PublisherOvid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1097/mlr.0000000000001887
PMID37449863
OpenAlexW4384301089
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited20

BACKGROUND: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides financial assistance to low-income individuals and families to help them purchase food. However, when participants experience short-term disenrollment from the program, known as churn, it can disrupt their health care usage patterns or result in acute health care needs due to the loss of financial benefits and time burden required to reapply for SNAP. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the changes in health care expenditures and acute care utilization during periods of SNAP churn compared with nonchurn periods among those who churn during the study period. RESEARCH DESIGN: Longitudinal analysis of Pennsylvania Medicaid claims data for enrollees participating in SNAP between 2016 and 2018 using individual fixed-effects models. We add to the literature by estimating whether these changes varied based on the amount of SNAP benefit lost, or differed between adults and children. RESULTS: We found that SNAP churn was associated with reductions in pharmacy and primary care spending across all SNAP benefit levels and age groups. Specifically, our findings indicate a reduction of 4%-6% in pharmacy expenditures for adults and 2%-4% for children. Moreover, there was a 3%-4% decrease in primary care expenditures for adults and a 4%-6% decrease for children. Acute care utilization did not significantly change during a SNAP churn period. CONCLUSION: Our findings of decreases in pharmacy and primary care spending suggest that preventing SNAP churn may help reduce instances where adult and child participants forgo necessary care

Biology · Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program · Computer Science · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Healthcare Policy and Management · Medicine · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet

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