Dive Brief:
- Even when insured, young adults choose ED visits over office appointments, a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health finds.
- The researchers, who analyzed 2009 federal data, found that as a consequence, insured young adults have the same out-of-pocket expenses as their uninsured counterparts.
- According to the study, previously uninsured or underinsured young adults who gain coverage under the ACA will probably increase their spending on health care services while lowering out-of-pocket costs.
Dive Insight:
As this study suggests, high ED use is a persistent phenomenon which cuts across ages and insurance status. It's worth noting that other studies have found persistent use of ED visits among various populations, such as insured and uninsured and low and average income. This is yet another data point suggesting that heavy ED use is not easily discouraged.