Overburdened Emergency Departments

Abstract

The uninsured . . . are often denied care that is available to people with insurance. Many uninsured people do not receive important preventative health services such as cholesterol blood tests or screening for potentially fatal diseases including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. They are denied these preventative health services due to a lack of regular primary care. As a result, their health problems are diagnosed at a later stage, which translates to higher mortality rates. Furthermore, the little care they do receive is in an Emergency Department where there is no primary care and no follow-up care. Emergency Departments are now overcrowded with patients who cannot find care anywhere else. [From introductory section]