We waste more than $30 billion per year on emergency-room care that could be better delivered in a primary-care setting, according to new data out today from UnitedHealth Group.
By the numbers: According to United's analysis of its own claims data, about two-thirds of ER visits are avoidable, and those visits cost on average $1,800 more than they would at the appropriate venue.
My thought bubble: The use of the ER for primary care is often treated as a thing that happens mainly in lower-income areas with lower health literacy and worse access to primary care. But United is analyzing claims from people with employer-based insurance, who tend to be wealthier.
- No one has yet figured out a good way to solve this problem without putting an unreasonable burden on patients who might be experiencing an actual emergency.
