Open AccessThe 1966 enactment of Medicare: its effect on discharges from Los Angeles County-operated hospitals.
Author(s) -
Peter Glassman,
Robert M. Bell,
Robert E. Tranquada
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.84.8.1325
Subject(s) - medicine , public health insurance , gerontology , public health , hospital discharge , health insurance , environmental health , family medicine , medical emergency , health care , demography , nursing , political science , sociology , intensive care medicine , law
The effect of Medicare on two public hospitals in Los Angeles County was analyzed by examining the percentage of patients 65 years of age and older among all discharges from 1958 through 1971. At Harbor General Hospital, discharges of elderly patients had dropped from 21.7% to 7.9% by late 1966; at Los Angeles County General Hospital, discharges decreased from 15.3% to 10.7% between 1966 and 1967. Monitoring public hospitals' demographic changes after enacting a national health plan may provide information on patients' and providers' acceptance of insurance and on resources needed by public hospitals to care for those left without coverage.