UNIVERSAL COVERAGE MAY NOT BE CURE-ALL

Having universal health insurance in the USA does not necessarily mean an individual will receive proper health care, according to an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association by Kimberly Rask from the Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta.

Dr Rask and colleagues conducted a study involving 3,897 patients who went for ambulatory care at an urban Atlanta hospital, which they say is the first to identify obstacles besides lack of insurance that discourage continuity of care and lead to delays in seeking medical care. The majority (61.6%) were predominantly minorities and disadvantaged people.

The major obstacles that kept many from having a regular source of health care include not having adequate transportation, exposure to violence, need for after-hours medical care and living in a supervised setting such as a shelter.