Health Insurance and Interhospital Transfer for Critically Ill Patients With Respiratory Failure

Is health insurance status associated with interhospital transfer and mortality for critically ill patients with acute respiratory failure in the US?In this cohort study including 703 392 hospital admissions of critically ill adults with acute respiratory failure, patients without health insurance experienced lower odds of interhospital transfer and higher odds of mortality compared with patients with commercial insurance.The findings suggest health insurance may play a role in the interhospital transfer decision-making process, underscoring the need to evaluate hospital transfer practices to ensure equitable care delivery.

Corresponding Author: Emily A. Harlan, MD, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, NCRC Bldg 14, G012, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (schwessi@med.umich.edu).

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