VA/UCLA National Clinician Scholars Program, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Department of Health Policy and Management, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, California, USA.
J Correct Health Care. 2022 Feb;28(1):39-46. doi: 10.1089/jchc.20.03.0011. Epub 2021 Dec 21.
Although many justice-involved youth (JIY) rely on Medicaid, due to the federal "inmate exclusion" Medicaid is often suspended or terminated upon youth's intake to detention, which can lead to coverage gaps at release. We interviewed 28 experts on Medicaid and the justice system and conducted thematic analysis to identify solutions for reducing Medicaid coverage gaps during reentry. Participants viewed coverage gaps during reentry as a significant public health problem to which JIY are especially vulnerable. Recommended solutions for reducing coverage gaps for JIY included (a) leave Medicaid activated, (b) reactivate Medicaid before or during reentry, (c) enhance interagency collaboration, and (d) address societal context to ensure health care access for Medicaid-eligible JIY. Doing so may improve health outcomes and reduce cycles of youth incarceration.
尽管许多涉及司法的青少年（JIY）依赖医疗补助计划，但由于联邦政府的“囚犯排除”规定，青少年被拘留时，医疗补助计划通常会被暂停或终止，这可能导致释放时出现覆盖缺口。我们采访了 28 名医疗补助计划和司法系统方面的专家，并进行了主题分析，以确定在重新融入社会时减少医疗补助计划覆盖缺口的解决方案。参与者认为，重新融入社会期间的覆盖缺口是一个严重的公共卫生问题，尤其是涉及到 JIY 的人群。为减少 JIY 的覆盖缺口而建议的解决方案包括：(a) 保持医疗补助计划的激活状态，(b) 在重新融入社会之前或期间重新激活医疗补助计划，(c) 加强机构间合作，以及 (d) 解决社会背景问题，以确保符合医疗补助计划资格的 JIY 获得医疗保健。这样做可能会改善健康结果，并减少青少年监禁的循环。
