Objectives: To examine whether mental health conditions, opioid use, and medication nonadherence are associated with inpatient and emergency department (ED) use among Medicare super-utilizers from medically underserved areas.
Study design: Retrospective panel study.
Methods: The study included Medicare super-utilizers (≥3 hospitalizations or ≥2 hospitalizations with ≥2 ED visits in 6 months) served by a health system in a medically underserved area in the South from February 2013 to December 2014 with at least 1 filled prescription for hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular, and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/asthma medications. We used random effects negative binomial models to assess whether mental health diagnosis, opioid use, and medication nonadherence were associated with preventable and overall hospitalizations and ED visits stratified by age (18-64 vs ≥65 years).
Results: Overall chronic disease medication nonadherence was associated with more frequent hospitalizations and ED visits for both younger (hospitalizations: incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.31; 95% CI, 1.16-1.47; ED visits: IRR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.14-1.55) and older (hospitalizations: IRR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.20-1.49; ED visits: IRR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.02-1.38) beneficiaries. Mental health diagnosis was significantly associated with higher hospitalizations and ED visits among both age groups. Although associations between opioid medication use and inpatient and ED use were inconsistent and not significant in most cases, we found that 7 or more days' supply of opioids was associated with lower preventable hospitalizations in Medicare beneficiaries 65 years or older.
Conclusions: The study findings highlight the importance of improving medication adherence and addressing behavioral health needs in Medicare super-utilizers.