Health insurance: impact on hospitalization rates for asthma.

Recent studies have shown that hospitalization rates for asthma have increased. Data from the 1991 National Health Interview Survey were analyzed to show the relationship between insured and uninsured persons who self-identify as having asthma. Having health insurance was found to decrease the number of hospitalizations associated with asthma, particularly at low and high income levels. A collateral finding demonstrated an inverse relationship between doctor visits and hospitalizations. This suggests that having health insurance will result in patients' seeking physician contact for preventive care; this leads to better control, infrequent hospitalizations, and, ultimately, decreased health care costs.