MichiganRadio

Study: Uninsured More Likely to Die in ER CHICAGO (Associated Press) - According to a troubling new study, uninsured patients with traumatic injuries were almost twice as likely to die in the hospital as similarly injured patients with health insurance.

The study was conducted by researchers at Harvard University. Doctors and health experts say they're surprised by the findings because they had believed that emergency room care was equitable. The study appears in the November issue of Archives of Surgery.

The researchers couldn't pin down the reasons behind the differences they found. The uninsured might experience more delays being transferred from hospital to hospital. Or they might get different care. Or they could have more trouble communicating with doctors. The hospitals that treat them also could have fewer resources.
© Copyright 2012, Associated Press