By working with other care team members at facilities such as outpatient clinics and pharmacies, hospitalists and other staff have been able to improve care for patients without insurance or a PCP after discharge. Knowing the funding that is available, as well as programs to help these patients, is also integral.
Karen Appold is a medical writer in Pennsylvania.
Costs of the Uninsured Add Up
The U.S. government estimates that approximately 49 million Americans don’t have health insurance. Seven million (9.4%) of those are under the age of 18. Less than 2% are over the age of 65. Racially, 30% are Hispanic, 20% are black, and 15% are white.4,5
Figure 3. Uninsured Rates among the Nonelderly by State, 2014SOURCE: Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of the 2015 ASEC Supplement to the CPS.
In 2013, the cost of “uncompensated care” provided to uninsured individuals reached $84.9 billion. Uncompensated care includes healthcare services without a direct source of payment. The majority of uncompensated care (60%) is provided in hospitals. Community-based providers (including clinics and health centers) and office-based physicians provide the rest, providing 26% and 14% of uncompensated care, respectively.6
In 2013, $53.3 billion was paid to help providers offset uncompensated care costs. Most of these funds ($32.8 billion) came from the federal government through programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and the Veterans Health Administration. States and localities provided $19.8 billion, and the private sector provided $0.7 billion.6
References
- American Hospital Association. American Hospital Association Uncompensated Hospital Care Cost Fact Sheet. Accessed October 8, 2015.
- The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. Health IT in long-term and post acute care: issue brief. March 15, 2013. Accessed October 8, 2015.
- Addison E. Gage award winner HITS the streets to connect with the uninsured. America’s Essential Hospitals. July 22, 2014. Accessed October 8, 2015.
- DeNavas C, Proctor BD, Smith JC. Income, poverty, and health insurance coverage in the United States: 2010. United States Census Bureau. September 2011. Accessed October 8, 2015.
- United States Census Bureau. People without health insurance coverage by selected characteristics: 2010 and 2011. Accessed October 8, 2015.
- Coughlin TA, Holahan J, Caswell K, McGrath M. Uncompensated care for the uninsured in 2013: a detailed examination. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. May 30, 2014. Accessed October 8, 2015.