Variation in dermatologist visits by sociodemographic characteristics

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Health Services Research
• Health Economics

Background:

• Access to dermatologists is a significant challenge for individuals enrolled in Medicaid.
• Understanding current healthcare utilization patterns is essential for developing effective access improvement strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the frequency of dermatologist visits and skin condition treatment among Medicaid enrollees versus patients with other insurance types or no insurance.
• To identify factors influencing dermatologist utilization in the Medicaid population.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cross-sectional analysis utilizing multiyear federal survey data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).
• Analysis focused on MEPS respondents under 65 years of age between 2008 and 2012.

Main Results:

• Annually, 1.4% of Medicaid enrollees visited a dermatologist, compared to 1.2% of uninsured individuals and 5.5% of those with private insurance.
• Insurance type, age, sex, race/ethnicity, and geographic location were associated with dermatologist visit likelihood.
• Medicaid enrollees were less likely to receive any skin condition diagnosis and less than half as likely to receive a diagnosis from a dermatologist compared to privately insured individuals.

Conclusions:

• Findings indicate significant disparities in access to dermatological care for Medicaid enrollees.
• Efforts are needed to address and reduce these access inequities in dermatological services.