In the midst of the U.S. healthcare debate comes another reason why everyone of us should have basic health coverage. A new study by Harvard University researchers found that uninsured patients with traumatic injuries (such as car crashes, falls and gunshot wounds) were almost twice as likely to die in the hospital as similarly injured patients with health insurance. Taking into account injury severity, race, gender and age uninsured patients were still 80% more likely to die than those with insurance, including Medicaid. It’s shocking and unclear just why the uninsured fare worse in terms of ER care, since it’s largely assumed – and federally mandated – that all unstable patient receive equal care in ERs. One reason this might occur is that private hospitals can transfer uninsured patients to public hospitals once patients are stable. A transfer could then worsen a patient’s condition by delaying treatment. The findings are based on an analysis of data from the National Trauma Data Bank, which includes more than 900 U.S. hospitals. [via New York Times]
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Tags: emergency, ER, Harvard, healthcare, trauma
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Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
November 18th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Of course p eople with no health inusurance or HMO’S don’t make it as much in the hospitals. They THROW THEM OUT! I can attest to the following facts. MEDICARE PAYS.I have seen time after time people being thrown out of hospitals, my best friend for one, who had Congestive Heart Failure, Cellulitis over at least one third of her body. Her body filled with edema (WATER) and intense PITTING all over her stomach, trunk, legs. She also had angina and diabetes. She was not told any of these facts by her Primary care doctor. She was my best friend. She had Medicaid and an HMO. Shit insurance. She stayed in hospital three days, and her lung doctor, a WONDERFUL DOCTOR WITH COMPASSION FOR PEOPLE saw her there and suggested she go into a rehab facility, which is for people with MEDICARE. She was denied a life saving facility, to rest, be taken care of, and told HER INSURANCE WOULDN’T PAY. Out she was kicked to the curb and died a week later of heart failure.
November 19th, 2009 at 7:51 am
Those uninsured arrive in the ER with their $300 Tatoo, Cell phone, Blackberry, and a gold chain around their neck and then expect society to pick up ther tab for medical care. What’s wrong with this picture?
November 19th, 2009 at 9:26 am
This should be a crime.Don’t they know that most car crash victims are covered for medical with their own or the other persons auto insurance.Hospitals and Dr.’s are money hungery,they no longer follow the oath they took.They complain about the cost of their insurance and use that for an excuse,if they spent more that a couple of minutes with a patient they wouldn’t make so many screw ups.
November 19th, 2009 at 10:08 am
It is a crime of this system, Ms Walsh. My contention is-the medical establishment, run by for-profit medical insurance like HMO’s, benefit tremendously from the sick. I have seen it in myself, and many others. I was denied a life saving procedure for my heart, called ECCP because of the HMO’S. I also have a rare, debilitating lung disease called Pulmonary Hypertension. When I went to the Pulmonary doctor, the one who saw my friend and reccomended she go into rehab and was denied because she had an HMO, I was told my blood oxygen had to be lower to get amulatory oxygen. This means if I had Medicare, my readings at the time would allow me to get what I needed. Over and over again, hard working people are being denied good health care and the disabled are of no use to them. Maybe for body parts. Wake up America! ALSO, THIS REMARK from Ken123 is just ignorant. I am for Universal health care. Michael Moore and ‘Sicko’ WILL GIVE YOU AN IDEA. THANK YOU.
November 19th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Corinne, Should the taxpayers furnish with a house, car and food also? What responsibilities do you you assume? Does your freedoms come without responsibilities? Someone paid for your freedoms to make your own choices in life, please start using them and don’t blame society for you failure to plan.
November 19th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
I agree as well. I had a heart attack in February and was sent home from the E.R. not once but twice 2 nights apart and was told it was simply heart burn. Even after my E.K.G. there read abnormal to which I was not even aware of until I picked up my records later on. GIVE ME A BREAK…”ALL PATIENCE TREATED THE SAME”…I don’t think so:(
November 19th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
We have a growing population, unconrolled illegal imigration, generational welfare state, the largest segment of our poulation at the point of retirement (Babyboomers), and declining manufacturing in this county,and President Obama saying once again that someone is going to get something for nothing! Universal Healthcare will cost someone something, and that someone will be me and many other hard working American’s. I have no doubt that I will pay more under this plan, receive less coverage, and be forced to participate, because everytime he says something the opposite is true! Also, remember that the politicians voting for this will not be effected in any way, nor will the President. Furthermore, government run programs like medicare deny benefits twice as often as private insurers. Changes need to occur, but not this plan!
November 20th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
I AM AN AMERICAN BORN 55 YEARS OLD BEEN OUT OF WORK LAID OFF I CANNOT AFFORD HEALTH INSURANCE …. WHAT THE FUCK ARE THESE PEOPLE DOING IN WASHINGTON…… I WILL SUE THESE BASTARDS…..
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:23 am
Ken123, Todd Jones, God bless you.I will pray for you. God says to not hate those who curse and degrade you, but to love them. I wish you well.
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:41 am
Corinne, where in my post did I curse? Jesus said that give a man a fish you feed him for one day but, teach him to fish, feed him for a life time.
My question to you is still what responsibilities do you have for your own health care?
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:40 pm
Ken123-What else can I say that I haven’t already? Do you want me to recite case after case that I know of people dying because they were denied good health care? I can do that. However, I do believe when doctors lie to patients and say that you didn’t have a heart attack when you did, then it happens again, like with me. The doctor covers over the truth . He knows what HMO’S pay. It’s all about money my friend. Yes about your question, it is definately at least half of the patient’s responsibility to work as a team with the doctor. But the doctors tell many people like me, “These aren’t angina pains. It’s just anxiety.” Now, I cannot work at all. Yes, definately, if you could furnish a car for me that would be appreciated, and a home. How nice. Poor and homeless people the system throws out, should be a crime. This does not happen in other countries. Everybody gets, in the industrialized countries, but not America. These countries often offer much more than this one. Everyone gets treated the same. No ”What kind of insurance do you have?” In the end if you are worried about paying for another persons healthcare, the people with Universal Health care save more money than with USA’S system. It is not Communist or Socialist thinking, it’s Christ-thinking. Have you heard ”Whatever do do to the least of my brethren, you do to me.” ? He would like everybody to love one another. Don’t you think? God bless.