Hospitals are bracing for a rise in emergency department volumes following the expiration of enhanced ACA premium tax credits and looming cuts to Medicaid under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Nearly 5 million people are projected to lose coverage without an extension of the subsidies, according to estimates from the Urban Institute. An additional 10 million individuals could become uninsured by 2034 under OBBBA’s Medicare and Medicaid provisions, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Hospital leaders have warned that rising uninsured rates will drive more people to delay routine care, leading to worsened conditions and increased reliance on EDs, especially in rural areas.
Newly released data from KFF show there were an average of 422 emergency room visits per 1,000 population nationally in 2024, the most recent year for which data are available. KFF used data from the American Hospital Association’s annual survey of community hospitals — which accounts for 85% of all U.S. hospitals — and population estimates from the Census Bureau to compile ED visits per 100,000 population for every state.
ED utilization rose in many states compared to data from 2023. The latest figures offer a preview of where added strain from rising coverage losses and reduced access to preventive care may hit hardest.
Below is a state-by-state breakdown of total emergency department visits per 1,000 population in 2024, including the District of Columbia, starting with states where rates are highest.
North Dakota: 805 ED visits per 1,000 population
Maine: 621
West Virginia: 598
Louisiana: 577
Indiana: 564
Kentucky: 539
Ohio: 537
Mississippi: 533
Massachusetts: 500
Vermont: 500
New Hampshire: 498
Nebraska: 497
Wyoming: 496
Delaware: 488
Tennessee: 479
Pennsylvania: 479
Connecticut: 477
Arkansas: 475
New Mexico: 469
Florida: 466
Michigan: 462
Missouri: 462
New York: 456
Kansas: 449
Alabama: 448
District of Columbia: 446
Texas: 431
North Carolina: 430
Virginia: 429
Montana: 426
Colorado: 419
Oklahoma: 417
Wisconsin: 411
Illinois: 404
South Carolina: 403
Iowa: 398
New Jersey: 397
Oregon: 385
Rhode Island: 382
South Dakota: 376
Idaho: 370
Washington: 367
Hawaii: 361
Georgia: 360
Minnesota: 343
Arizona: 322
Alaska: 314
California: 299
Maryland: 293
Utah: 290
Nevada: 253
The post ED visits per 1,000 population, by state appeared first on Becker's Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis.
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