MONDAY, July 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Interruptions in private health insurance coverage are common among U.S. adults with type 1 diabetes and are associated with an increase in glycated hemoglobin and in use of acute care services, according to a report published in the July issue of Health Affairs.
In a longitudinal study, Mary A.M. Rogers, Ph.D., from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and colleagues examined the frequency of interruptions in private health insurance and associated outcomes for working-age U.S. adults with type 1 diabetes in 2001 to 2015. Data were included for a sample of 168,612 adults (ages 19 to 64 years) with type 1 diabetes who had 2.6 mean years of insurance coverage overall.
The researchers found that 24.3 percent of the adults experienced an interruption in coverage. There was a 3.6 percent relative increase in glycated hemoglobin for each interruption. After an interruption in health insurance, the use of acute care services was five-fold greater than before the interruption; use remained elevated when stratified by age, sex, or diabetic complications. Lower perceived health status and lower satisfaction with life were associated with an interruption.
“We conclude that interruptions in private health insurance are common among adults with type 1 diabetes and have serious consequences for their well-being,” the authors write.
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