Don't believe all those media reports that link insurance coverage with decreased use of emergency rooms.
Expanding insurance coverage does not reduce the use of emergency rooms. In fact, the number of people visiting emergency rooms in Massachusetts climbed 9 percent between FY 2004 and FY 2008, reaching about 3 million, according to a report from the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy on trends in the use of EDs.
When state lawmakers passed the universal health insurance law in 2006, officials hoped it would increase access to primary-care doctors for the uninsured, improve their health and reduce their dependence on emergency rooms for the flu, sprains, and other urgent care, the Boston Globe reports. All residents were required to be enrolled in state-subsidized insurance plans by July 1, 2007.
David Morales, commissioner of the division, told the Globe that several national and statewide studies have shown that expanding insurance coverage does not reduce emergency room visits. This is because the uninsured "are not really responsible for significant ER use."
The uninsured do not account for a larger share of preventable or avoidable ED visits than the insured. In addition, reliance on the ED may be due to outpatient capacity constraints, which may be exacerbated by increased insurance coverage.
To learn more:
- read this fact sheet from the Massachusetts Division of Health Care Finance and Policy
- here are links to the rest of the division's report
- read the Boston Globe account
Related Article:
More than two-thirds of emergency physicians expect ER visits to increase despite health reform