SummaryThis retrospective, observational study reports health utilization and access patterns of Medicaid recipients for neurologic diseases compared to privately insured individuals seen in 2 hospitals at a single institution in the same time period. We reviewed records of patients and compared demographic characteristics, visit types, neurologic diagnoses, and all-cause mortality, by age group, when seen with Medicaid vs private insurance. Adults insured by Medicaid were more likely to present as inpatients and with life-threatening neurologic disease compared to privately insured patients. Moreover, adult patients presenting with neurologic disease on Medicaid had a higher all-cause mortality rate than privately insured patients. Similar disparities in neurologic disease were not observed in children. The relationship of these findings to patient educational status, household income, comorbidities, and the reasons prompting Medicaid eligibility require additional study. N early 60 million Americans are insured by Medicaid, the nation's largest health insurance program for people of limited income.1 Covered groups include children, pregnant women, and individuals with disabilities. More than one-third of all births and more than one-half of people with AIDS in the United States are covered by Medicaid.