Issue Brief No. 70
Supplementary Table 3

Office Waiting Times for Emergency Departments and Other "Walk-in" Facilities, by Insurance Status

 
Privately Insured
Medicare
Medicaid
Uninsured
Emergency Department Visits        
      Percent waited 15 minutes or less
39
50*
30
29*
      Percent waited 15-30 minutes
22
24
23
20
      Percent waited more than 30 minutes
39
27*
47*
51*
Other "walk-in" visits (no appointment)        
      Percent waited 15 minutes or less
44
51*
36*
32*
      Percent waited 15-30 minutes
32
30
31
29
      Percent waited more than 30 minutes
15
19
33*
39*
Visits with appointments        
      Percent waited 15 minutes or less
57
58
46*
43*
      Percent waited 15-30 minutes
28
28
31*
32*
      Percent waited more than 30 minutes
15
13
23*
25*

*Difference with privately insured is statistically significant at .05 level.

Source: Community Tracking Study household survey, 1999 and 2001.

Note: Estimates of waiting time are based on the person's last reported visit to a physician within the past year. In identifying the visit, survey respondents were asked whether or not the visit was to a hospital emergency department. If not, respondents were asked whether or not they made an appointment for the visit. Office waiting time is based on the time interval between when they arrived at the ED/physician's office/other ambulatory care, and when they actually saw a medical person.