WASHINGTON — More people newly insured by Medicaid 🍬under ObamaCare are seeking treatment in hospital emergency rooms — one of the most expensive medical settings, a study releas⛄ed Monday concludes.
The analysis by the C🌱olorado Hospital Association found th𒆙at the average number of ER visits in states that expanded Medicaid increased by 5.6 percent, when the second quarter of this year was compared with the same period in 2013.
The increase was more than three tim𝔉es larger than experienced by hospitals in states that did not expaﷺnd.
The jump was also outside the range oꦦf normal yeﷺar-to-year fluctuations.
“When this newly insured population is trying to understand the system, they are using the easiest acces💟s point, and that is the ER,” said Chris Tholen, a vice president෴ of the hospital association.
The study looked at data reported by 450🔯 hospitals in 25 states, th🦄rough the middle of this year. Thirteen of the states expanded Medicaid and 12 states did not.