MAKING HEALTH CARE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE

[EC]

MAKING HEALTH CARE AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE
By Ron Pollack



Evidence of these problems abounds. In September 2003, for example, the U.S. Census Bureau released its annual survey of the number of people who were without health coverage in the previous year.<1> According to the Census Bureau, 2.4 million people were added to the ranks of the uninsured between 2001 and 2002—the largest increase in a decade. In total, 43.6 million Americans, more than the cumulative population of 24 states and the District of Columbia,<2> were uninsured in 2002.

As large as this figure is, however, it significantly understates the number of Americans who have been affected by a lack of health care coverage. Because the Census Bureau’s annual survey is designed to calculate the number of people who were uninsured throughout the year; it is not designed to indicate how many were without health coverage during portions of the year.<3> The number of people uninsured during all or part of the year is considerably larger.

To assess that larger impact, Families USA, on behalf of a prestigious group of ideologically diverse organizations,<4> prepared a report, based on Census Bureau data, which calculated how many Americans were without health coverage for all or a portion of 2001-2002.<5> The report, released by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, found that 74.7 million people under 65 years of age—almost one-third of the non-elderly population—were uninsured at some point during the past two years.<6> The vast majority were uninsured for lengthy periods of time: almost two-thirds were without health coverage for at least six months; over half were uninsured for at least nine months; and almost one-quarter (24 percent) had no health coverage throughout the entire two-year period.<7> Four out of five of those who experienced a lack of coverage were in working families.<8>

This large and growing number of people without health coverage is the result of what has aptly been called “a perfect storm.”<9> It is caused by the confluence of four factors:
1. Health care costs are rising annually at double-digit rates, making health coverage increasingly unaffordable for individuals, businesses, and government agencies. A combination of skyrocketing prescription drug costs,<10> consolidation of hospital systems,<11> the increased availability of expensive technology,<12> increased profits by insurance companies,<13> and the relaxation of managed care approval systems for the receipt of care<14> are all contributing to increasing health care costs. These cost increases are projected to continue over the next several years, if not longer.<15>

2. With the labor market softened because of our nation’s weak and job-losing economy, employers are increasingly passing on health costs to their workers. Workers are paying larger amounts in premiums, deductibles, and copayments.<16> Health coverage in employer-provided health packages is shrinking.<17> And health coverage for the dependents of workers, and especially for retirees, is diminishing.<18> As these cost shifts continue, more and more employees are finding health care unaffordable.

3. Unemployment rates are high, as are the numbers of discouraged job-seekers who have temporarily left the workforce.<19> Since most people receive health coverage through their jobs, the loss of employment means increases in the number of uninsured. Although the vast majority of these laid-off workers are eligible for COBRA coverage through their previous employer, the costs of such coverage are unrealistically high. Under current law, laid-off workers seeking COBRA coverage must pay all of the costs—costs that now average over $3,400 for individual coverage and $9,000 for family coverage,<20> amounts that are simply unaffordable for the vast majority of workers subsisting on modest unemployment insurance checks. As a result, four out of five people eligible for COBRA coverage do not receive it.<21>

4. Virtually all of the states, experiencing fiscal crises, are making significant cutbacks in state-administered public health programs, such as Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).<22> Inasmuch as Medicaid is the largest single program expenditure in most states, the vast majority of states are either cutting income eligibility standards for coverage, reducing benefits, and/or increasing low-income beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket costs.<23> These changes are undermining the program’s counter-cyclical function, which, by design, provides increased assistance in times of greater need.




This is really long, but you have to read it:

http://www.newdemocracyproject.org/newsletter.cfm?nl_id=138&nla_id=255

[EC]

1. Long report, but I'm kicking it up so you'll see

what is going on....there are more uninsured than reported...the reported are only those who have been uncovered for the whole year...there are those that have lost coverage throughout the year that are not counted...I guarentee, next years figures will be at least 45% of our country....

:kick:

[flaminbats]

2. MSA's are the solution..

block grant Medicaid, privatize Medicare, and make Social Security voluntary. Then people will storm the streets for universal and affordable health care!

:kick:

[rodeodance]

3. it has to hit them in the face-real hard before they wake up

[flaminbats]

4. amen!

for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.