Health insurance coverage and mortality among the near-elderly.
Uninsured near-elderly people may be particularly at risk for adverse health outcomes. We compared mortality of a nationally representative cohort of insured and uninsured near-elderly people with stratification by race; income; and the presence of diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease, using propensity-score methods to adjust for numerous characteristics. Lacking health insurance was associated with substantially higher adjusted mortality among adults who were white; had low incomes; or had diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease. Expanding coverage to the near-elderly uninsured may greatly improve health outcomes for these groups.
McWilliams
J Michael
JM
Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. ayanian@hcp.med.harvard.edu
Zaslavsky
Alan M
AM
Meara
Ellen
E
Ayanian
John Z
JZ
D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D017057:Medically Uninsured; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology