Pre-Medicare adults may lack insurance

CHICAGO, April 11 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers Monday said at least 25 percent of older adults likely are uninsured at some point during the years before they qualify for Medicare.

The study from Northwestern and Case Western Reserve universities is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. It included more than 6,000 people, ages 51-57, who were interviewed every two years from 1992 to 2000.

At least 23 percent of participants were uninsured at least once during the eight-year study period. People often shifted between having insurance and being uninsured, but 60 percent of patients were continuously enrolled in private insurance through all five interviews.

Women, African-Americans and Hispanics who had low family incomes and/or low educational levels in 1992 were more likely to be uninsured at least once.

"Uninsured individuals are less likely to have a regular source of care, to use preventive services, to obtain timely care for acute medical problems, and to take medications for chronic illnesses," researchers wrote.