“It’s more challenging to manage health conditions in the
United States without insurance," she said in a university news release. "This can
lead to costly hospital stays and avoidable illnesses that require expensive health
care services.”
For the new study, researchers examined electronic
health record data for more than 45,000 patients who became eligible for Medicare
between 2014 and 2019.
These records covered visits at community health
centers, which largely serve people with limited finances. They provide care
regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. The study found that it was more common
for Hispanic Americans to lose insurance coverage at 65.
Medicare requires participants to be U.S. citizens or
permanent legal residents. Undocumented immigrants are unable to receive this health
coverage. In addition, patients with low incomes may be unable to afford Medicare
premiums.
The study also revealed that patients are often diagnosed
with new chronic health conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure after they
become eligible for Medicare.
In all, about 86% of patients studied had two or
more chronic health conditions after they turned 65 -- compared to 77% of patients
younger than 65.
Patients who had been uninsured and then obtained
Medicare were diagnosed with more new chronic conditions than patients who had
insurance before enrolling in Medicare, the authors said. “It’s likely these
patients unknowingly had chronic conditions for beforehand,” Huguet said. “Medicare
enables older Americans to receive the essential health care that they need.
However, having access to health care earlier in life can also prevent conditions
from developing or getting worse as we age.”
The authors said they hope their research will
encourage policymakers to improve access to care for aging Americans, especially
preventive care. They also hope community health centers will offer more
senior-focused care.
The findings were published online Sept. 13 in the
Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. The U.S. National Institute of
Aging provided support for the research.
Source
https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2023-09-18/1-in-4-older-low-income-americans-are-uninsured
