By Angela Fowler-Brown, Giselle Corbie-Smith, Joanne Garrett and Nicole Lurie
Journal of General Internal Medicine
April, 2007
OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between insurance and cardiovascular outcomes and the relationship between insurance and selected process measures.
DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS: We used data from 15,792 participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, a prospective cohort study.
RESULTS: Persons without insurance had higher rates of stroke and death, but not myocardial infarction, than those who were insured. The uninsured were less likely to report routine physical examinations; more likely to be unaware of hypertension and hyperlipidemia; and more likely to have poor blood pressure control.
CONCLUSIONS: Lack of health insurance is associated with increased rates of stroke and death and with less awareness and control of cardiovascular risk conditions. Health insurance may improve cardiovascular risk factor awareness, control and outcomes.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/f4301627w3354417/?p=80d6e4d4ae67466fbb1022b9f1a725a1&pi=12
Beth Israel Deaconess release:
http://www.bidmc.harvard.edu/?node_id=1000&mainFrameSrc=/tools/newsnow/pr_out.asp?pr_id=1552
And…
Universal healthcare’s dirty little secrets
By Michael Tanner and Michael Cannon (Cato Institute)
Los Angeles Times
April 5, 2007
Simply saying that people have health insurance is meaningless.
Supporters of universal coverage fear that people without health insurance will be denied the healthcare they need. Of course, all Americans already have access to at least emergency care. Hospitals are legally obligated to provide care regardless of ability to pay, and although physicians do not face the same legal requirements, we do not hear of many who are willing to deny treatment because a patient lacks insurance.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-tanner5apr05,0,2227144.story?coll=la-opinion-rightrail
Comment:
By Don McCanne, MD
Lack of health insurance maims and kills. How can anyone with the slightest sense of decency state that that is meaningless?