Post Insurance Reform, Emergency Room Usage Still High in Massachusetts

OPEN MINDS Weekly News Wire Strategic Health Care News Two years after implementing a law requiring health insurance, emergency rooms in Massachusetts continue to treat relatively large shares of people for conditions that they felt could have been addressed by a primary care provider if one were available. In the fall of 2008, 33.2% adults between the ages of 18 and 64 reported an emergency department visit at least once in the past 12 months. Of those with an emergency department visit, 44.2% reported their most recent visit was for a non-emergency condition. Among adults whose most . . .