From Medscape Medical News
July 15, 2009 — US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius released new data today from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample, the largest all-payer emergency department (ED) database in the country, showing that a disproportionate number of visits were made by uninsured or low-income patients.

There were nearly 120 million ED visits in 2006, according to the HHS’s Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Nearly one fifth were made by patients without health insurance, Secretary Sebelius said, and one fifth were made by residents of rural areas. One third of ED visits were made by low-income patients.

“Our healthcare system has forced too many uninsured, rural, and low-income Americans to depend on the emergency room for the care they need,” Secretary Sebelius said in an HHS release announcing the new findings. “We cannot wait for reform that gives all Americans the high-quality, affordable care they need and helps prevent illnesses from turning into emergencies.”

The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample contains 26 million records from ED visits to approximately 1000 community hospitals nationwide, or approximately 20% of all US EDs.Read Article