Uninsured Americans Account for One in Five Emergency Room Visits
July 15, 2009
Uninsured Americans Account for One in Five Emergency Room Visits

The latest data from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample show that the uninsured accounted for nearly one fifth of the 120 million hospital-based emergency department visits in 2006. In announcing the information, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, said, “Our health care system has forced too many uninsured Americans to depend on the emergency room for the care they need. We cannot wait for reform that gives all Americans the high-quality, affordable care they need and helps prevent illnesses from turning into emergencies.”  

The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample is the largest, all-payer emergency department database in the United States. The database is managed by HHS  Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and generates national estimates on the number of emergency department visits in all community hospitals, by region, urban/rural location, teaching status, ownership and trauma designation. 


See also:

CHHCS: Crisis in the Emergency Room

HHS News Release: New Data Say Uninsured Account for Nearly One-Fifth of Emergency Room Visits