Patterns in Maryland Medicaid enrollment among persons with AIDS

The percentage of persons with AIDS (PWAs) enrolling in Medicaid is increasing by 3.7% annually. This paper examines the trends in Medicaid enrollment among PWAs and uses a Markov model to analyze the patterns in Medicaid eligibility as enrollees move between assistance categories. We found most Medicaid-eligible PWAs were Medicaid recipients prior to their AIDS diagnosis and differed significantly from non-Medicaid PWAs. The PWAs shifted considerably among the various Medicaid eligibility categories and we found distinct, predictable patterns among different subpopulations. A high percentage of PWAs were enrolled in a state-funded category, which is detrimental to both the PWAs and the state.