Ellen Weber
A study led by UCSF emergency medicine professor Ellen J. Weber has found that the rise in emergency room visits - from 90.3 million in 1996 to 113.9 million in 2004 - was not caused by a stampede of the uninsured. Instead it was people with higher incomes, who usually visit their doctor's office, who were largely responsible for the 26 percent spike.
The study has important policy implications: If the rise in visits is inappropriately attributed to the uninsured, programs to reduce emergency department crowding may be misdirected and fail to address its real underlying causes.
The study has been published online in the
Annals of Emergency Medicine "
Are the Uninsured Responsible for the Rise in Emergency Department Visits in the United States?".
Related Links:
"Are the Uninsured Responsible for the Rise in Emergency Department Visits in the United States?" (PDF)
Annals of Emergency Medicine, April, 2008
