Privately insured heart patients have better outcomes in heart valve replacement surgery compared to uninsured and Medicaid patients, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. In addition, the type of insurance a patient has is a significant predictor of mortality, according to a Reuters article on Friday. The study follows previous research that evaluated insurance status as a predictor for disease and treatment. "The study findings indicate that primary payer status should be considered as an independent risk factor during preoperative patient risk evaluation," said the study's lead author, Dr. Damien LaPar of the University of Virginia Health System, in the article. Article