Erika L Lichter, MA, MS, Department of Society, Human Development, and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02138, (617) 432-0963, elichter@hsph.harvard.edu and Laurie Stillman, MM, Asthma Regional Council of New England, The Medical Foundation, 622 Washington St., 2nd floor, Dorchester, MA 02124.

More than 14 million people in the United States have asthma, and according to a 2004 ground-breaking study by the Asthma Regional Council of New England, well over 1 million New England residents have the disease. Several studies have shown that the burden of asthma is higher in urban settings, among children, and in those with lower socio-economic status, specifically those enrolled in Medicaid. Yet, there is little information available to public health departments about asthma as it presents among the Medicaid population. Recently, several state health departments, including those in New England, have started accessing Medicaid data to examine asthma prevalence and health care utilization in the Medicaid population. The New England Asthma Regional Council, a multi-state, multidisciplinary organization founded to reduce the impact of asthma on children and families across New England, sponsored an investigation into data sharing efforts between Medicaid offices and health departments in New England. The findings from this report will be presented. Specifically, we will (1) describe data sharing arrangements between health departments and Medicaid offices in the New England states, (2) discuss the limitations and benefits of using Medicaid data for pediatric asthma surveillance, and (3) highlight the uses of Medicaid data by the New England states. In addition, we will outline how regional and national collaborations can help states access and use Medicaid data effectively. The findings from this presentation are based on structured interviews conducted with personnel from NE health departments, Medicaid representatives, and employees of Managed Care Organizations.

Learning Objectives:

• 1.Articulate the uses of Medicaid data for pediatric asthma surveillance.
• 2.Recognize the limitations and challenges of working with Medicaid data for pediatric asthma surveillance.
• 3.Identify strategies for effective data sharing between Departments of Public Health and Medicaid offices.

Keywords: Asthma, Medical Devices

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Asthma Regional Council, employment