Uninsured Trauma Patients Get Better Care than Insured
Why? Perhaps because non-trauma community hospitals would prefer to have insured rather than uninsured patients. So, uninsured patients are more likely to be transferred to trauma centers, where they are likely to get better care.
According to Kit Delgado, and colleagues, presenting research results in JAMA Surgery, both privately insured and Medicaid patients were significantly more likely (11 percent and 14 percent more) to be admitted to a non-trauma hospital than transferred.
Their conclusion:
Patients with severe injuries initially evaluated at non-trauma center EDs were less likely to be transferred if insured and were at risk of receiving suboptimal trauma care. Efforts in monitoring and optimizing trauma inter-hospital transfers and outcomes at the population level are warranted.
It is a preoccupying condition the current state of the healthcare in this country. If more uninsured individuals are being transferred to trauma centers, the revenues for these institutions will decrease significantly (assuming the possibility that uninsured individuals are less likely to pay for their procedures). Thanks to the current system, healthcare will only cover basic procedures.
It makes business sense to do what the healthcare providers are doing with regards to traumas. If a patient without insurance needs specialized treatment it is easier and cheaper to transfer the individual. The institution that first admitted the person is washing their hands, not responsible for the health of the patient, and it is not breaking the law (they can argue that it was in the best interest of the patient to go to a trauma center). It goes the other way as well. The institution that receives an insured patient has the incentive to treat the patient fully, even if it is not the best prepared to do so, because in a way it is safe money. They can argue that it was better not to transfer the patient.
The title is really attractive but the context is quite ironic.
“Perhaps because non-trauma community hospitals would prefer to have insured rather than uninsured patients.” I am just curious about this. So patients are not treated equally.
“…uninsured patients are more likely to be transferred to trauma centers, where they are likely to get better care…”
So people are being punished for doing what they’re supposed to?
Yep. Welcome to the federal government!
It’s just sickening.
“Patients with severe injuries initially evaluated at non–trauma center EDs were less likely to be transferred if insured and were at risk of receiving suboptimal trauma care” – Unbelievable