Black Surgical Patients Benefit in Universally Insured Health System
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU)A new study looking at claims data from more than 630,000 patients found no significant differences in post-operative complications or mortality between African American and White patients, who were treated in a universally insured military health system. African Americans treated in civilian settings, either uninsured or on Medicaid, however, experienced substantially higher odds of mortality, complications and readmission after surgery, compared to White patients. These findings suggest universal insurance could mitigate disparities. The study, “Association between race and post-operative outcomes in a universally insured population versus patients in the State of California,” was published online today in Annals of Surgery.