Rising health costs risk deadly outcomes for uninsured patients

Dr. William Feldman, a pulmonologist, intensivist and health services researcher at Harvard Medical School, says rising health care premiums could push millions of Americans to go without insurance.

Patients without coverage often skip doctor visits, preventive care and vital medications, leading to serious health problems, he said.

“I vividly remember seeing a patient in the ICU last year with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a potentially fatal complication of diabetes. Why? Because she couldn’t afford her insulin,” Feldman told Congress last month. “People losing their insurance will have very real consequences for patients across this country.”

As federal officials look to cut spending on Medicaid and Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, Feldman warned that eliminating funding could hav