National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report
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AHRQ Research Studies
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Research Studies is a compilation of published research articles funded by AHRQ or authored by AHRQ researchers.
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1 to 3 of 3 Research Studies DisplayedScott JW, Scott KW, Moniz M
Financial outcomes after traumatic injury among working-age US adults with commercial insurance.
This cross-sectional study linked insurance claims and consumer credit report data to evaluate the experience of financial distress in commercially insured adults after traumatic injury. Data from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s preferred provider organization insurance claims from 2019 through 2021 were included. The authors identified working-age adults aged 21 to 64 whose January 2021 credit reports occurred more than 6 months after hospital admission for traumatic injury. This cohort of 3164 adults was compared demographically to 2223 patients in the comparison cohort. Relative to the comparison cohort, the post injury cohort had a 23% higher likelihood of having medical debt in collections, a 70% higher amount of medical debt in collections, and a 110% higher bankruptcy rate. For many commercially insured patients, the burden of out-of-pocket costs after hospitalization exceeded their ability to pay and could be associated with bankruptcy risk.
AHRQ-funded; HS028672; HS025465; HS028817.
Citation: Scott JW, Scott KW, Moniz M .
Financial outcomes after traumatic injury among working-age US adults with commercial insurance.
JAMA Health Forum 2022 Nov;3(11):e224105. doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2022.4105..
Keywords: Trauma, Healthcare Costs, Health Insurance
Porter A, Brown CC, Tilford JM
Association of insurance status with treatment and outcomes in pediatric patients with severe traumatic brain injury.
This study’s objective was to determine if a health insurance disparity exists among pediatric patients with severe traumatic brain injury using data from the National Trauma Data Bank. The Bank contains data from more than 800 trauma centers in the United States. Isolated traumatic brain injury was defined as patients with a head Abbreviated Injury Scale score of 3+. Procedure codes were used to identify four primary treatment approaches combined into 2 classifications: craniotomy or craniectomy and external or intracranial ventricular draining. Condition at admission was defined including hypotension, Glasgow Coma Scale, mechanism and intent of injury, and Injury Severity Scale. Among the cohort of 12,449 patients, 91% had insurance and 9% were uninsured. Children without insurance had worse condition at admission with higher rates of hypotension and higher Injury Severity Score when compared with publicly and privately insured patients. Having insurance was associated with a 32% increase in the odds of cranial procedures, and 54% increase in the odds of monitor placement. Insurance coverage was associated 25% lower odds of inpatient mortality. Further study is needed to determine what factors lead to worse condition at admission.
Citation: Porter A, Brown CC, Tilford JM .
Association of insurance status with treatment and outcomes in pediatric patients with severe traumatic brain injury.
Crit Care Med 2020 Jul;48(7):e584-e91. doi: 10.1097/ccm.0000000000004398..
Keywords: Children/Adolescents, Brain Injury, Trauma, Health Insurance, Access to Care, Uninsured, Outcomes
Kastenberg ZJ, Hurley MP, Weiser TG
Adding insult to injury: discontinuous insurance following spine trauma.
The researchers evaluated patterns of discontinuation of initial insurance coverage for patients who undergo surgery for traumatic spine injury with and without spinal cord injury and compare these patterns with those for matched control subjects. They found a twofold increased risk of insurance discontinuation for patients with traumatic spine injury without spinal cord injury and a nearly threefold increased risk for patients with spinal cord injury.
AHRQ-Funded; HS000028.
Citation: Kastenberg ZJ, Hurley MP, Weiser TG .
Adding insult to injury: discontinuous insurance following spine trauma.
J Bone Joint Surg Am 2015 Jan 21;97(2):141-6. doi: 10.2106/jbjs.n.00148..
Keywords: Injuries and Wounds, Health Insurance, Trauma