Medically Uninsured

Patients without health insurance experienced higher rates of unplanned surgery, inpatient mortality and complications for access-sensitive conditions that could be treated electively, according to data published in JAMA Surgery.

Regardless of race, patients who sought surgery from an institution with a greater proportion of racially diverse and uninsured patients were more likely to experience surgical delays greater than the 24-hour benchmark, results showed.

CHICAGO — Just 18% of women experiencing homelessness who were eligible underwent a mammography over a 5-year period, according to research presented at ASCO Annual Meeting.

Disparities in race, ethnicity, health insurance, income and population density played a role in patient proximity to certified stroke care, researchers reported.

Recent data show that about 9.1 million adults who had health insurance in 2018 reported disruptions in coverage the previous year.

Recently published research indicates patients who are either uninsured or who receive Medicaid — referred to as being “safety-net reliant” — disproportionately receive hemodialysis at non-profit or independently owned facilities. According to Kevin F. Erickson, MD, MS, of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, this is concerning because it means these patients are “particularly reliant on a group of providers that continue to decline in market share.”

CHICAGO — As the cost for insulin continues to rise, clinicians can take several proactive steps to help uninsured and underinsured patients afford their medications today, according to a speaker at the Cardiometabolic Health Congress.

Infectious diseases had been a big part of my training in medical school in India, where I cared for and learned from patients with a wide variety of infections from extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis to cerebral malaria to Japanese encephalitis to all types of vaccine-preventable diseases because of lack of health care access. I became fascinated by the specialty, and my interest was further bolstered by role models in residency. A fellowship in a strong inner-city clinical program under awesome mentors with a plethora of pathology was invaluable for the years to come. My first job out of training was in a rural community hospital and Federally Qualified Health Center as the first ID physician in the center. It’s been a rewarding experience to start and run a very busy rural ID practice, taking care of uninsured and underinsured patients in an area with a shortage of health professionals. Sharing strong bonds with patients living with HIV over last 7 years in a small rural community has been a learning experience about their challenges and successes. Absorbing the business side of medicine as a medical director has been equally eye opening. My role as a hospital epidemiologist and stewardship lead has allowed me to build cherished relationships with several medical specialties and hospital staff. I have to admit that I have also learned from patients and communities who may not always agree with me (with respect to management of Lyme disease and vaccine refusal). Keeping the dialogue open is the key.

Enrollment in a high-deductible health plan without a health savings account may inhibit access to care among cancer survivors and other adults, according to results of a study published in Journal of Oncology Practice.

Only 3% of charity patient assistance programs accept patients without insurance, according to a study recently published in JAMA.