Adults who recently gained or lost insurance are associated with higher emergency department use than adults who have not had recent changes in coverage, according to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Researchers defined newly insured adults as those who are currently insured but lacked health insurance at some point in the past 12 months, and newly uninsured adults as those who are currently uninsured but had health insurance at some point in the past 12 months. The researchers studied the number of ED visits in the previous 12 months.
Overall, 20.7 percent of insured adults and 20 percent of uninsured adults had at least one ED visit. Among insured adults, 29.5 percent of those who were newly insured had at least one ED visit, while only 20.2 percent of continuously insured adults had that rate. Among uninsured adults, 25.7 percent of those who were newly uninsured had at least one ED visit, compared with 18.6 percent of continuously uninsured adults.
The authors concluded that healthcare providers should be prepared for increased ED use if legislation that changes coverage for adults is upheld.
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Researchers defined newly insured adults as those who are currently insured but lacked health insurance at some point in the past 12 months, and newly uninsured adults as those who are currently uninsured but had health insurance at some point in the past 12 months. The researchers studied the number of ED visits in the previous 12 months.
Overall, 20.7 percent of insured adults and 20 percent of uninsured adults had at least one ED visit. Among insured adults, 29.5 percent of those who were newly insured had at least one ED visit, while only 20.2 percent of continuously insured adults had that rate. Among uninsured adults, 25.7 percent of those who were newly uninsured had at least one ED visit, compared with 18.6 percent of continuously uninsured adults.
The authors concluded that healthcare providers should be prepared for increased ED use if legislation that changes coverage for adults is upheld.
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