07 July 2004

In study, elderly uninsured die early

An estimated 100,000 people approaching age 65 will die prematurely over the next eight years because they lack health insurance, a study to be released today found.

People 50 to 64 with low incomes and who have diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure are especially vulnerable, says the study, published in the journal Health Affairs.

The difficulties of having no health insurance rise as people age because their health deteriorates, said Brigham and Women's Hospital's Dr. J. Michael Williams, lead author.

"The consequences of going without health care are much more severe," Williams said.

The problem will grow more severe as baby boomers approach retirement age but don't yet qualify for Medicare, he said.

Researchers found those without insurance were 43 percent more likely to die prematurely than those with coverage. Those who were poor and had no coverage were 53 percent more likely to suffer an early demise.

"It's disturbing and it's familiar,'' said John McDonough, president of Health Care for All, an advocacy group. "This is one more piece of evidence that the problem of the uninsured is a national scandal."

He said it shows that people who lack insurance don't get needed care, even though they can go to hospitals in emergencies.

"They are sicker and they die quicker without insurance," McDonough said.

Those without insurance ultimately cost the system more because they don't get preventive care and often delay seeking care for illness, said John Boesen, executive director of Massachusetts Senior Action Council.

"There's got to be a whole different way of looking at things," he said.

Early preventive care and treatment of chronic diseases could ease the burden on the Medicare system, study authors said.

By Jennifer Heldt Powell

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