A B C D E F G H I J L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y
U. Un Ut

uncompensated care

Care rendered by hospitals or other providers without payment from the patient or a government-sponsored or private insurance program. It includes both charity care, which is provided without the expectation of payment, and bad debt, for which the provider has made an...

underinsured

People with public or private insurance policies that do not cover all necessary health services, resulting in out-of-pocket expenses that often exceed their ability to pay.

underuse

The failure to provide a health care service when it would have produced a favorable outcome for a patient. Standard examples include failure to provide appropriate preventive services to eligible patients (e.g., Pap smears, flu shots for elderly patients, screening...

universal coverage

Health insurance coverage for all people, through either public or privately funded programs.