Abstract
The primary purpose of this study was to determine if WIC prenatal participation is associated with a reduction in Medicaid costs within 30 days after birth, and, if so, whether the reduction in Medicaid costs is greater than the WIC costs for these women. This evaluation of WIC was performed using 7,628 Missouri Medicaid records matched with their corresponding 1980 birth records. This file was then divided into a WIC group containing 1,883 records and a non-WIC comparison group of 5,745 records. WIC participation was found to be associated with the reduction in Medicaid newborn costs of about $100 per participant (95 per cent confidence interval $43,153); mother's Medicaid costs were not affected. For every dollar spent on WIC, about 83 in Medicaid costs within 30 days of birth were apparently saved according to the results of this study (95 per cent confidence interval $.40, $1.30). Reductions in low birthweight rates and NICU admission rates among WIC infants provided two possible reasons for the reduced Medicaid costs associated with WIC food supplementation. As WIC food costs increased, both mean birthweight and newborn Medicaid savings also increased. Because of possible inconsistencies in the data, similar studies are needed in other states.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Edozien J. C., Switzer B. R., Bryan R. B. Medical evaluation of the special supplemental food program for women, infants, and children. Am J Clin Nutr. 1979 Mar;32(3):677–692. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/32.3.677. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Kennedy E. T., Gershoff S., Reed R., Austin J. E. Evaluation of the effect of WIC supplemental feeding on birth weight. J Am Diet Assoc. 1982 Mar;80(3):220–227. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Kotelchuck M., Schwartz J. B., Anderka M. T., Finison K. S. WIC participation and pregnancy outcomes: Massachusetts Statewide Evaluation Project. Am J Public Health. 1984 Oct;74(10):1086–1092. doi: 10.2105/ajph.74.10.1086. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pomerance J. J., Ukrainski C. T., Ukra T., Henderson D. H., Nash A. H., Meredith J. L. Cost of living for infants weighing 1,000 grams or less at birth. Pediatrics. 1978 Jun;61(6):908–910. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Rush D. Is WIC worthwhile? Am J Public Health. 1982 Oct;72(10):1101–1103. doi: 10.2105/ajph.72.10.1101. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Schramm W. Smoking and pregnancy outcome. Mo Med. 1980 Oct;77(10):619–626. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]