Medicaid insurance status predicts postoperative mortality after total knee arthroplasty in state inpatient databases.

Medicaid versus private primary insurance status may predict in-hospital mortality and morbidity after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Regression models were used to test our hypothesis in patients in the State Inpatient Database (SID) from five states who underwent primary TKA from January 2007 to December 2014. Medicaid patients had greater odds of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR]: 1.73; 95% CI: 1.01-2.95), greater odds of any postoperative complications (OR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.18-1.33), experience longer lengths of stay (OR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.08-1.10) and higher total charges (OR: 1.03; 95% CI: 1.02-1.04). Medicaid insurance status is associated with higher in-hospital mortality and morbidity in patients after TKA compared with private insurance.