The Association Between Cost-Related Insulin Rationing and Health Care Utilization in U.S. Adults With Diabetes

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To examine the association between insulin rationing and health care utilization. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Cross-sectional study of all 2021 National Health Interview Survey respondents with diabetes using insulin. Logistic regression and zero-inflated negative binomial regression models examined associations between insulin rationing (skipping, delaying, or reducing insulin to save money) and 1) emergency department (ED) visit or hospitalization and 2) number of urgent care visits. All analyses were age-stratified and used survey weights. RESULTS Among 982 respondents representing 7,593,944 U.S. adults (median age 61, 47% women), 17% reported rationing. Among adults 18–64, rationing was not significantly associated with health care utilization. Among adults ≥65, rationing was associated with more urgent care visits (relative risk 2.1, 95% CI 1.2–3.6) but not with odds of ED visit or hospitalization (odds ratio 0.7, 95% CI 0.3–1.4). CONCLUSIONS Insulin rationing was not associated with higher health care utilization, but concurrent rationing of health care may mask a relationship.