Injured, uninsured children who are hospitalized were twice as likely to die of their injuries as their insured counterparts, according to a new study from the advocacy group Families USA. Among children admitted with traumatic brain injury, uninsured children were more than twice as likely to die while in the hospital as insured children. Uninsured children also were less likely to get expensive treatment or rehabilitation, and were more likely to be discharged earlier, the report said. And, among children admitted to the hospital with otitis media, uninsured children were less than half as likely to get ear tubes inserted than insured children. “The clear implication of these groundbreaking data is that, when kids get hurt or sick, insurance matters,” said Families USA Executive Director Ron Pollack in a statement.
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