Worse Diabetes Outcomes Seen for Adults With Unreliable Insurance

Follow Drugslib on

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

Amazon Big Spring Sale - Up to 40% off

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com

via HealthDay

MONDAY, March 23, 2026 -- Low-income adults with diabetes who lose insurance coverage have worse diabetes outcomes, including higher prevalence of uncontrolled hemoglobin A1c and acute complications, according to a research letter published online March 20 in JAMA Health Forum.

Nathalie Huguet, Ph.D., from the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, and colleagues examined the association between losing insurance and diabetes outcomes among people served by community health centers, most of whom have incomes at or near the federal poverty level. The study included 39,144 patients: 5,557 in the "churn" group, defined as having two or more consecutive uninsured visits to capture sustained coverage loss, and 33,587 in the "nonchurn" group, defined as every visit insured or a single uninsured visit.

The researchers found that during follow-up, the churn group experienced significantly worse outcomes, including a higher prevalence of uncontrolled hemoglobin A1c, acute complications, and insulin prescriptions (pre-post differences between churn and nonchurn groups, 4.0, 3.0, and 2.2 percent, respectively).

"People without insurance are more likely to end up in the emergency department," Huguet said in a statement. "That can lead to life-changing outcomes, like amputations, and it ultimately costs more for patients and the entire health system."

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2026-03-24 08:47

Read more

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Popular Keywords