Trends in Retesting and Repeat Infection Rates Using Administrative Claims Data From California Family Planning and Managed Care Programs, 2003-2007

Administrative claims data from large-scale family planning (FP) and managed care programs can be used to identify incident chlamydia cases and describe patterns of return visits and retesting within CDC-recommended timeframes.  Commercial chlamydia laboratory test data for females in a large 1115 FP waiver program were linked to clinical visit data.  Retesting rates increased from 24%-31% from 2003-2007; annual repeat infection rates were high at 14% in 2007 (18% among adolescents).  Laboratory data for female managed care enrollees indicated higher retesting rates increasing to 51% by 2006; repeat infection rates were high (9.8% in 2003, 13.4% in 2006).