BMC Reports Increase in TJR Among Racial/Ethnic Minorities

Researchers at Boston Medical Center (BMC) have found that the expansion of insurance coverage in Massachusetts increased the number of elective knee and hip replacement procedures by 4.7 percent, with greater increases among black and Hispanic patients. The findings are published online in advance of print in the British Medical Journal. The insurance coverage expansion in Massachusetts in 2006 set the framework for the Affordable Care Act, which was created with the goal of increasing access to healthcare, and thereby reducing disparities in access to care based on race and income. The new findings, which compared utilization of elective hip and knee replacements pre-reform (2004-2006) and post reform (2008-2010), suggest an improvement in access to healthcare, particularly among racial/ethnic minorities. Full Story.