Boston University, Massachusetts (Ms Giraldo); Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Massachusetts (Drs Hsu and Silverstein and Ms Ashe); Boston University School of Medicine, Massachusetts (Drs Hsu, Buitron de la Vega, Silverstein, and Lasser); Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Massachusetts (Drs Buitron de la Vega and Lasser); Boston Medical Center, Massachusetts (Drs Buitron de la Vega and Lasser and Ms Losi); and Boston University School of Public Health, Massachusetts (Dr Lasser).
J Ambul Care Manage. 2020 Apr/Jun;43(2):179-182. doi: 10.1097/JAC.0000000000000328.
Most states prohibit utility companies from terminating service to low-income households when occupants present a medical letter confirming a household member has a chronic serious illness. It is unclear how many patients receive these letters and whether screening for health-related social needs (HRSN) identifies these patients. We analyzed characteristics of adult patients at a safety-net hospital with a utility shut-off protection letter 2009-2018. A total of 2973 patients received a letter; most were non-Hispanic black, and had government insurance. Among patients who received a letter in 2018, 70% were screened for HRSN. Among these, only 16% screened positive for difficulty paying utility bills.
大多数州都禁止公用事业公司在有居住者出示医疗信函确认家庭中有慢性病患者的情况下，停止向低收入家庭提供服务。目前尚不清楚有多少患者收到此类信函，以及健康相关社会需求（HRSN）筛查是否能识别这些患者。我们分析了 2009 年至 2018 年期间在一家提供服务保障的医院中接受过断水断电保护信的成年患者的特征。共有 2973 名患者收到了信件；他们大多数是非西班牙裔黑人，并且拥有政府保险。在 2018 年收到信件的患者中，有 70%接受了 HRSN 筛查。在这些患者中，只有 16%被筛查出有支付水电费困难。
