Gun violence results in a high financial burden on the nation's hospitals, according to a new report from The Urban Institute.
In 2010, 36,000 gun violence victims visited emergency departments around the country, and 25,000 were admitted as inpatients. The total cost of their care hit $630 million, or $100 million more than the state of Wyoming spent on all Medicaid claims that year.
The average cost of inpatient care for each of these gun violence victim was $23,497 in 2010, or about $14,000 more than the average inpatient stay that year. These costs were disproportionally paid for by government programs — 52 percent of gun violence victims carried public insurance in 2010, compared with 16 percent with private insurance. About 28 percent of victims were uninsured.
The researchers note the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will expand Medicaid and other insurance eligibility to low-income men, who are overwhelmingly the victims of gun violence, easing the financial burden on hospitals.
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