Thompson Julia A, Lee Veronikia
Research and Sponsored Programs at Harris County Hospital District, Houston, TX, USA.
AORN J. 2007 Nov;86(5):745-56. doi: 10.1016/j.aorn.2007.08.020.
Uninsured patients put a strain on the health care system that ultimately results in increased health care costs for everyone. The challenges faced by the Harris County Hospital District in Houston, TX, as a result of an increasing number of uninsured and underinsured patients include overcrowding in its health care facilities, decreased reimbursement from government programs, and patients who postpone seeking medical treatment until their situation is emergent and whose care is therefore more expensive. Strategies for addressing these problems may include instituting an "everybody pays" program, improving access to care for the uninsured, and reducing or eliminating unnecessary services.
未参保患者给医疗保健系统带来压力，最终导致每个人的医疗保健成本增加。得克萨斯州休斯敦哈里斯县医院区面临的挑战包括，未参保和参保不足患者数量不断增加，导致其医疗保健设施过度拥挤、政府项目报销减少，以及患者推迟就医，直到病情危急才就诊，因此治疗费用更高。解决这些问题的策略可能包括实施“人人付费”计划、改善未参保者的就医机会，以及减少或消除不必要的服务。
