Abstract
Using a nationally representative data set including patients most likely to benefit from statins, we find racial/ethnic and insurance-related disparities in physician prescribing patterns. Whites and patients who have private insurance are more likely to be prescribed a statin than nonwhites and those with public insurance. Because coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the USA and currently is estimated to cost over $150 billion annually, observed differences in prescribing patterns along these dimensions should be part of discussions dealing with health care reform.
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