Exploring Medicaid Data with Python
Corporations, charitable organizations, and governments generate and publish reports that are publicly available, often on the internet. Data journalism is a developing discipline that combines programming and engaging storytelling with rigorous fact-checking to produce data-driven insights in reporting (Jha, 2023).
Data-driven stories can provide readers with an understanding of complex issues and contribute to holding institutions accountable.
In December 2023 the state government expanded Medicaid coverage for citizens living in North Carolina (NCDHHS, 2024.)
Behavioral Health Services are administered by private companies referred to as Local Managed Entities/Managed Care Organizations.
There is an extensive collection of reports available on the NCDHHS website. Judging by the appearance and formatting of the documents I examined, there is an effort underway to update reports that includes redefining key metrics and incorporating more graphics.
For my capstone project I learned the basics of Python, an open-source programming language and looked for potential news stories in legacy Annual Statistical and Admission Reports.
Images from FY 2022 North Carolina LME-MCO’s Annual Statistics and Admission Report
Admissions – new cases opened during the year (may be a returning patient)
Served – people receiving treatment during the year
Terminations – treatment ended
Combining several years of data and creating charts revealed interesting avenues for additional research. Here are some examples:
Why has the number of people served decreased since 2018?
Why did terminations increase during 2020?
Why is the number of people with a mental illness receiving behavioral health services through Medicaid decreasing?
Why did the number of people who stopped receiving care for mental illness increase in 2020?
What happened at Alliance Behavioral Healthcare in 2020?
References
Jha., P. K. (2023, September 27). What is data journalism?: A journey into the world of data-driven storytelling: Uncovering stories hidden in the numbers. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-data-journalism-journey-world-data-driven-storytelling-jha/
House Bill 259 / SL 2023-134 (2023-2024 session) – North Carolina General Assembly. ncleg.gov. (n.d.). https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookup/2023/H259
Features
Writing has always been an important outlet for me. My journals have documented invigorating vacations, stressful episodes in family life, and sentimental journeys through my own memories.
Click on the titles to download a pdf
I practiced using words to set a scene in this travel piece about a well-appointed dog boarding facility.
This article incorporates research with local sources to explore the impact of Medicaid expansion in a small town in North Carolina.
Descriptive writing recreates the sights, sounds and scents of a community fundraiser.
Immigration Beat
These online articles are examples of popular digital formats and were written soon after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Click on the photos or links to read the articles
