Association Between Insurance Status and Admission Rate for Patients Evaluated in the Emergency Department

Academic Emergency Medecine, Vo. 10, No. 11, pp. 1285-1288, 2003

4 Pages Posted: 4 Dec 2006

See all articles by Jennifer Prah Ruger

Jennifer Prah Ruger

University of Pennsylvania - School of Social Policy & Practice; University of Pennsylvania - Perelman School of Medicine

Lawrence Lewis

Washington University in St. Louis - School of Medicine

Christopher Richter

Washington University in St. Louis - School of Medicine

Abstract

Objectives: To determine if differences exist in hospital and intensive care unit (ICU)/operating room admission rates based on health insurance status. Methods: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study of data from hospital clinical and financial records for all 2001 emergency department (ED) visits (80,209) to an academic urban hospital. Hospital admission and intensive care unit (ICU)/operating room admissions were analyzed, controlling for triage acuity, primary complaint, diagnosis, diagnosis-related group (DRG) severity, and demographics. Multivariate logistic regression models identified factors associated with hospital admission for underinsured (self-pay and Medicaid) compared with other insured (private health maintenance organization, preferred provider organization, worker's compensation, and Medicare) patients.

Results: Compared with the other insured group, underinsured patients were less likely, overall, to be admitted to the hospital (odds ratio [OR], 0.82; 95% CI

Keywords: admission, hospital, health insurance, intensive care unit, operating room

JEL Classification: I10, I11, I12, I18, I31

Suggested Citation

Prah Ruger, Jennifer and Lewis, Lawrence and Richter, Christopher, Association Between Insurance Status and Admission Rate for Patients Evaluated in the Emergency Department. Academic Emergency Medecine, Vo. 10, No. 11, pp. 1285-1288, 2003, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=948601

Jennifer Prah Ruger (Contact Author)

University of Pennsylvania - School of Social Policy & Practice ( email )

3701 Locust Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6214
United States

University of Pennsylvania - Perelman School of Medicine

423 Guardian Drive
Philadelphia, PA 19104
United States

Lawrence Lewis

Washington University in St. Louis - School of Medicine ( email )

660 S. Euclid Ave., Third Floor McMillan
St. Louis, MO 63110-1010
United States

Christopher Richter

Washington University in St. Louis - School of Medicine ( email )

660 S. Euclid Ave., Third Floor McMillan
St. Louis, MO 63110-1010
United States

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