title: Care for the uninsured in general internists' private offices.
abstract: This paper examines the care of uninsured patients in general internists' private practices. More than two-thirds of internists provide at least some charity care, usually to their existing patients who have become uninsured. They appear to be filling a need for people who are moving between coverage, by helping bridge coverage intervals. Approximately two-thirds of all internists accommodate uninsured patients by reducing the charge or creating a payment plan, with internists who are practice owners much more likely to do so. This care to the uninsured is important, especially with growing unemployment rates, because the safety net would not be able to absorb these patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Health and Science Policy, New York Academy of Medicine, New York City, USA.
authors.forename: Gerry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fairbrother
authors.forename: Michael K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Gusmano
authors.forename: Heidi L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scheinmann
mesh_terms: D005251:Fees, Medical; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010350:Patient Credit and Collection; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011331:Private Practice / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D017664:Uncompensated Care / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States