Victimized by Health Insurance Coverage Gaps - Deductibles and Copays Send Many into Debt

[JPZenger]

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20080928_Victimized_by_the_coverage_gap.html

First part of series from Philadelphia Inquirer

"His is a common humiliation. The magnitude of the crisis is well known: 46 million uninsured, according to the U.S. Census Bureau; 80 million struggling to pay medical bills, according to the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund; premiums paid by workers doubling in 10 years, according to the journal Health Affairs; and at least 18,000 people a year dying because they lack health insurance, according to the Institute of Medicine.

This series, in the coming weeks, will bring those numbers to life.

Stories like these are hidden and rarely draw attention - a temp worker who can't get a cancer test until she gets insurance; a home health aide who can't afford a hernia operation; a young rock and roller who gives a fake name to avoid an emergency-room bill.

These aren't exceptional cases. And that's the point."

[midnight]

1. This is a huge problem that continues to be ignored by our govt.

But as someone already has pointed out here on D.U. We have money for war, bears and steanrs bailout, aig bailout, but no money for healthcare, education, or mortgages.

[Waiting For Everyman]

2. If you have medical bills, you also have a crappy credit score...

You pay hundreds/thousands more per month for a mortgage and a car, just because of that... on top of coping with a medical crisis. It's wrong.

Same with other highly verifiable life crises: death, divorce, job loss, etc.. It's wrong, and it's unnecessary. Credit scores need limiting laws NOW. This whole system was set up and laws written by the bank lobbyists, word for word, and rubber stamped by our Congress.

This is why lots of people can't refinance into sane rates. And this is why lots of people are driven into bankruptcy, where now, they still don't get a chance to recover. And this is why our businesses don't compete well.