OHA: Uninsured drive large increase in Ohio emergency room visits

Emergency rooms across Ohio have seen a large increase in patients, with the largest increase among the uninsured. (Source: "Ohio's ERs see rise in patients," Columbus Dispatch, Jan. 7, 2008.) "From 2003 to 2006, uninsured patients seeking emergency care increased by nearly 20%, the Ohio Hospital Association (OHA) says. In the same period, emergency-room use by all patients increased by about 9.5%."

According to Marci Ladue, a nurse and director of emergency trauma and ambulatory services at Mount Carmel West hospital, the emergency department is the health care safety net for the uninsured. In 2007, the Mount Carmel West emergency department had 61,325 emergency room visits, a 16% increase from 2003. OHA spokeswoman Tiffany Himmelreich says the cost of covering the uninsured at emergency rooms "could (result in) an increase in costs for people with insurance."