Payor type is associated with increased rates of reoperation and health care utilization after rotator cuff repair: a national database study

Background: Despite strong evidence supporting the efficacy of rotator cuff repair (RCR), previous literature has demonstrated that socioeconomic disparities exist among patients who undergo surgery. There is a paucity of literature examining whether payor type, including Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurance types, impacts early medical complications and rates of reoperation after RCR. Methods: Patients with Medicare, Medicaid, or commercial payor–type insurance who underwent primary open or arthroscopic RCR between 2010 and 2019 were identified using a large national database. Ninety-day incidence of medical complications, emergency department (ED) visit, and hospital readmission, as well as 1-year incidence of revision repair, revision to arthroplasty, and cost of care were evaluated. Propensity-score matching was used to control for patient demographic factors and comorbidities as covariates. Results: A total of 113,257 Medicare, 23,074 Medicaid, and 414,447 commercially insured patients were included for analysis. Medicaid insurance was associated with an increased 90-day risk of various medical complications, ED visit (odds ratio [OR]: 2.87; P <.001), and 1-year revision RCR (OR: 1.60; P <.001) compared with Medicare insurance. Medicaid insurance was also associated with an increased risk of various medical complications, ED visit (OR: 2.98; P <.001), and hospital readmission (OR: 1.56; P =.002), as well as 1-year risk of revision RCR (OR: 1.60; P <.001) and conversion to arthroplasty (OR: 1.4358; P <.001) compared with commercially insured patients. Medicaid insurance was associated with a decreased risk of conversion to arthroplasty compared with Medicare patients (OR: 0.6887; P <.001). Medicaid insurance was associated with higher 1-year cost of care compared with patients with both Medicare (P <.001) and commercial insurance (P <.001). Discussion: Medicaid insurance is associated with increased rates of medical complications, health care utilization, and reoperation after rotator cuff surgery, despite controlling for covariates. Medicaid insurance is also associated with a higher 1-year cost of care. Understanding the complex relationship between sociodemographic factors, such as insurance status, medical comorbidities, and outcomes, is necessary to ensure optimal health care access for all patients and to allow for appropriate risk stratification.