Medicaid Payments and Outcomes for Pediatric Dental Surgical Procedures by Site of Care

Do payments, time from diagnosis to surgery, and adverse events vary for pediatric dental surgical procedures delivered in ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs) and hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs) paid by Medicaid?In this cross-sectional study of 391 628 pediatric surgical procedures for dental caries, surgical procedures in ASCs occurred significantly more quickly after diagnosis than those in HOPDs. Surgical procedures in ASCs were statistically significantly less costly and had significantly lower adverse event rates than HOPDs.These findings suggest that Medicaid programs can save money and increase timely delivery of care by expanding use of ASCs for pediatric dental surgical procedures.

Corresponding Author: Ashley M. Kranz, PhD, RAND Corporation, 1200 S Hayes St, Arlington, VA 22202 (akranz@rand.org).

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