Medicaid ambulatory and prescription drug claims for asthma-related care from 2001 through 2003 show that many populations are receiving care: A positive perspective for community asthma programs and coalitions that aim to serve the poor and disabled

Asthma is one of the most common chronic conditions among all age groups. A number of community-based programs and coalitions focus on controlling asthma, assuring access to urgent and ambulatory care and to appropriate prescriptions. The Medicaid enrolled poor and disabled populations account for a large burden of this condition. This analysis generated national statistics on the extent to which Medicaid enrollees had a current diagnosis of asthma, and/or received asthma-related prescriptions.

Of those who received an asthma service in 2001, 1+ million had at least one asthma-related prescription fill. By 2003 the number increased to 1.6+ million. When adding the enrollees with asthma reported only a secondary diagnosis and no direct care for the condition, and additional 200,000+ enrollees had at least one asthma-related prescription fill in 2003. Approximately 80% of those with asthma had no drug claims for the condition. As for expenditures, Medicaid expenditures for asthma care and drugs exceeded $500 million a year. The analyses identified that race/ethnicity differences remain. Caucasians tend to receive more costly asthma-related drugs than minorities, particularly blacks – a finding that is documented in studies on other conditions also. The research examined variations by age groups, gender, type of care, and reported rates, odds ratios or relative risks. These numbers validate that local coalitions and other asthma community programs and policies are impacting the Medicaid population, however there are still large segments of this poor and disabled population with asthma that need services/drugs with a goal toward preventative asthma- management.