May 11th, 2009

Reports the Times-Tribune:

Medical facilities are absorbing more treatment costs for patients who have lost their health care coverage because of layoffs.

“We have a growing amount of uncompensated care being provided by hospitals,” said Roger Baumgarten, spokesman for the Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, a trade group based in Harrisburg. “People are coming to emergency departments for primary care.”

About 9 million people have lost health coverage through the workplace since 2007, and about 4 million of them are uninsured now, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a health research institute based in the San Francisco area.

Local clinics that treat the needy see demand rising for their services, and some local hospitals anticipate more uncompensated care.

“We’re seeing a greater number of patients who have lost their jobs or their insurance,” said John Guzek, M.D., medical director at the Scranton Temple Health Center, which provides discounted or free medical care.

The average wait for an initial visit at the clinic has increased from two to six weeks, Dr. Guzek said.

“We’re really struggling to meet our needs,” he said.

Read more at the Times-Tribune.