Uninsured have many faces

By Pamela S. Cross

Published: September 13, 2008

"Uninsured immigrants: Who pays?” (news story, Sept. 7) may lead some readers to assume that the primary reason hospital emergency departments are often crowded and that some emergency departments have closed nationally is related to uncompensated health care services provided to uninsured immigrants. Though the article states that "hospitals do not collect data on race, ethnicity or citizenship of people receiving emergency room care,” the headline seems to blame immigrants.

For years, Oklahoma City-area hospitals have shared emergency department data that has been analyzed by Oklahoma City-County Health Department in order to better understand emergency department visits. It is true that approximately half of emergency department visits could have been managed in a clinic setting. But those going to the emergency department with these minor health complaints are just as likely to have private health insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, as they are to be uninsured.

It is easy to think of the uninsured as a homogeneous group — either all unemployed or all immigrants, for example. The more accurate picture of the uninsured in Oklahoma is one with 80 percent in working families that have difficulty accessing medical, dental, vision, mental health and preventative care. These are the faces of the uninsured — our neighbors, co-workers, those who serve us in restaurants, beauty salons, retail stores — and their loved ones.

The Health Alliance for the Uninsured is bringing together health care providers, community leaders and others concerned about this health care crisis. We are developing and implementing innovative solutions to increase access to health care and improve the quality of health care for Oklahomans who lack health insurance. Only in this way will our community make sure that there are adequate health care options for those with limited resources.

Cross is program director for Health Alliance for the Uninsured.

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