Mary Alice Lee, Ph.D., Amanda Learned, B.A., and Julia Berndt, B.S.

This study finds that over 38 percent of children in HUSKY A (Medicaid) used emergency services at least once in 2007. This was the same rate as 2006, but an increase over the years 2003-2005. Children who used emergency services for any diagnosis and for treatment of ambulatory care-sensitive conditions were most likely to be infants and preschool age; they were most likely to be Hispanic and from Spanish-speaking families.The leading reasons that children obtained emergency care were for treatment of injuries and treatment of respiratory conditions. Over one-third of children with any emergency care were seen at least once for treatment of conditions that that could have been managed or avoided with primary care (e.g., treatment of ear, nose and throat infections). (April 2009)

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