title: Health care for the uninsured in Duluth.
abstract: Providing health care for Minnesota's uninsured population continues to be both a clinical and political challenge. Between October 1, 1991, and September 30, 1993, 1,260 previously uninsured people received charity health care in Duluth. No one was excluded because of pre-existing conditions. Their utilization of services and associated costs can help project the health care needs and costs of care for uninsured Minnesotans. This group of uninsured people used a different mix of health care services compared with insured Minnesotans, and their total costs (including prescriptions) were about 15% greater. A large proportion of these uninsured Minnesotans had chronic health conditions and a "pent-up need" for services and medications. This experience demonstrated that it is possible to administer a limited benefits plan in coordination with existing public and private resources.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Sciences at the University of Minnesota-Duluth School of Medicine.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Renier
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vecchi
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002608:Charities / Q000191:economics; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008489:Medical Indigency / Q000191:economics*; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota; D012423:Rural Health