Insured people under age 65 were as likely to visit an ED in a 12-month period as uninsured individuals in the same age group, according to a report by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.
The NCHS Databrief, based on 2007 statistics, included Medicaid recipients, who are heavy users of EDs, in the insured group.
The Databrief reported massive ED overcrowding and long wait times, with one in five Americans visiting an ED at least once in the 12-month period.
The report also found in the 12-month period:
- People with a usual source of care were just as likely to have visited an ED as those without one.
- Uninsured ED-visitors were no more likely to be triaged as non-urgent than those with coverage.
- People reporting fair or poor health were more than twice as likely to have used the ED as people reporting very good or excellent health.
- Groups most likely to have visited the ED were adults age 75 and older, African-Americans, people with low incomes and Medicaid recipients.
- 15 percent of Medicaid recipients under age 65 visited the ED at least twice, compared with 7 percent of the uninsured and 5 percent of the privately insured.
- While the number of EDs across the country has decreased, the number of ED visits has increased.