The death rate in Massachusetts dropped following the 2006 adoption of mandatory healthcare insurance. Is this a coincidence, or is mandatory healthcare insurance responsible for the decreased mortality rate?
The New York Times reports that from a recent study of mortality rates in Massachusetts, which compares the death rates to counties with similar populations outside the state, we don’t yet know the answer to the question. However, the study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, provides some evidence that healthcare insurance may be closely linked to reducing mortality.
With coverage now being more widely available and accessible to those who would otherwise be uninsured, doctors and hospitals have observed a difference in the willingness of patients to pursue treatment. The New York Times referenced multiple reports by doctors in which uninsured patients would delay or forego medical care and treatment. More often than not, the ultimate reason they chose to do so was the financial cost involved. Unfortunately, medical conditions for some untreated patients grew into more serious (and costly) health issues that might have been avoided had treatment been sought early on.
As alluded to by the study, if more patients have healthcare insurance, they are more likely to pursue and receive preventative care, which leads to a healthier population, reduces overall healthcare costs, and relieves taxpayers of the burden of government care for the uninsured. It further suggests that to be effective, healthcare insurance must be within the financial means of families and individuals. Unfortunately, our current healthcare delivery system allows for hidden and questionable healthcare expenses that continually drive costs higher, making it unreachable for many.
If you, your family, or a loved one believe you have been overcharged, denied proper treatment or provided unnecessary treatment in connection with insurance or billing issues, you may have legal rights to pursue justice. Contact Brownstein and Nguyen, your Atlanta healthcare whistleblower attorneys, for assistance regarding healthcare coverage issues, medical expenses and billing fraud.
