Impact of Affordable Care Act Insurance Expansion on Pre-Hospital Access to Care: Changes in Adult Perforated Appendix Admission Rates after Medicaid Expansion and the Dependent Coverage Provision

Abstract

Reductions in uninsured after Medicaid expansion and the DCP were associated with significant reductions in perforated appendix admission rates. Improvements in access to acute surgical care suggest that maintained/continued insurance expansion could lead to fewer delays, better patient outcomes, and reductions in disparities among the most at-risk populations.