A new Oregon Health & Science University-led study reveals gaps in health insurance coverage for older Americans, who typically have more health issues than the rest of the population.
in the United States without insurance. This can lead to costly hospital stays and avoidable illnesses that require expensive health care services."
For this study, Huguet and colleagues examined electronic health record data for more than 45,000 patients who became eligible for Medicare between 2014 and 2019. The records were for patient encounters at community health centers, which provide care regardless of a patient's ability to pay and largely serve people of limited financial means.insurance coverage
at 65. Medicare requires its participants to be either U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents, placing government insurance out of reach for older adults who are undocumented immigrants. Further, patients with low incomes may not be able to afford Medicare premiums. The researchers also discovered that patients tend to be diagnosed with new chronic health conditions like diabetes orafter they become eligible for Medicare. About 86% of the study's patients had two or more chronic health conditions after they turned 65, compared with 77% beforehand. Patients who had been uninsured and then obtained insurance through Medicare were diagnosed with more new"It's likely these patients unknowingly had chronic conditions beforehand," Huguet said.
Huguet and her colleagues hope their findings will encourage policymakers to better support aging Americans by improving their access to health care overall, as well as specifically to improve preventive care access. They also hope it will inspire community health centers to integrate more geriatric-focused care in their operations.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Nine-year study reveals lipids' pivotal role in aging, health, and diseaseThis groundbreaking nine-year study used advanced mass spectrometry to analyze lipid profiles in human plasma, revealing dynamic changes tied to aging, insulin resistance, and viral infections. The findings suggest that specific lipid subclasses are crucial indicators and potential targets for treatment in human health and various diseases.
Read more »
Research finds that many health care system employees are uncertain about the meaning of 'health equity'In a major hospital system in Atlanta, less than one-fourth of employees were able to define either equity or health equity, according to a study published in the Journal of Healthcare Management.
Read more »
Older voters with struggling relatives will back policies aimed at supporting younger people, study findsDespite a climate of inter-generational tension, researchers at the Nuffield Politics Research Centre found that people aged over 60 backed increased spending aimed at helping younger adults - even at the cost of higher taxes.
Read more »
Studies on mobile health intervention suggest positive impact for Black same-gender-loving meniTHRIVE 365, a mobile health application developed through a collaboration between the Rutgers School of Public Health, THRIVE Social Services (THRIVE SS), Positive Impact Health Centers Georgia and CorporateLounge, a digital development company, creates a space to access HIV/AIDS and psychological health information, community support and resources for culturally affirming health care, housing and other forms of economic support among Black same-gender-loving men.
Read more »
US drug overdose deaths more than quadrupled from 1999 to 2020, study findsThe United States is experiencing its highest overall death rates in more than a century, fueled in part by drug overdose mortality. The origins of the current epidemic are due, at least in part, to a 1986 World Health Organization pronouncement that pain treatment is a universal right. As such, cancer pain treatment guidelines were developed, which included the provision of opioids. In 1995, OxyContin was approved for the management of pain, paving the way for widespread prescription of opioids.
Read more »
Study finds heavy alcohol consumption linked to ectopic fatDoes drinking an excessive amount of alcohol increase the amount of fat deposits in the body? The answer is yes according to new findings from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine found that heavy alcohol consumption is associated with higher levels of ectopic fat, which refers to fat around organs such as the heart, liver and intestines.
Read more »