A cross-sectional cohort study examining patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm, ventral hernia, and colon cancer found that patients without health insurance were more likely to undergo unplanned surgery for these conditions compared to those with private insurance or Medicaid. Additionally, uninsured patients had higher rates of inpatient mortality, complications, and longer hospital stays. The study suggests that uninsured patients faced barriers in receiving timely elective care, leading to poorer outcomes. Tracking elective vs unplanned surgery rates could be a useful measure to assess progress in improving insurance coverage.
Journal Article by Dualeh SHA, Schaefer SL (…) Scott JW et 2 al. in JAMA Surg