What Factors Are Associated With Medicaid Patients' Use of Health Centers?

To identify patient and neighborhood factors associated with health center (HC) use.

A cross-sectional study of Medicaid fee-for-service claims in 2009 comparing HC users and nonusers.

Dually eligible patients (odds ratio [OR] 95% CI = [0.60, 0.61]) and those with high chronic disease burden (OR 95% CI = [0.73, 0.74]) had lower odds of HC use. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families participants (OR 95% CI = [1.20, 1.24]), black (OR 95% CI = [1.33, 1.36]) and Hispanic (OR 95% CI = [1.22, 1.25]) beneficiaries had higher odds. Local HC presence predicted higher HC use (OR 95% CI = [2.63, 2.70]).

Findings may be useful in steering HC policies affecting critical access for Medicaid beneficiaries.