Pfizer Public Policy: The Uninsured
Pfizer understands that lack of health insurance is a serious problem facing many Americans, one that may prevent them from getting the medical care that they need.
An estimated 15.7 percent of the population, or 45.8 million people, were without health insurance coverage in 2004, up from 15.6 percent and 45.0 million people in 2003, according to data from the Census Bureau.1 Depending on the measure of time one uses, the percentage of uninsured Americans can vary. For example, a study by the Congressional Budget Office looking at data from 1998 found that between 21 and 31 million people were uninsured for all of 1998, while 40 million were without coverage at any given point during the year, and 60 million were uninsured at some point in time.2 Any way you look at it though, there are too many people who are uninsured.
America's uninsured have multiple, distinct "faces" and differing reasons behind their lack of coverage. They are a heterogeneous group that includes young adults, working families, unemployed people, immigrants, older workers, very poor adults without children, and some middle and upper-income people who choose to go without coverage.
Pfizer is committed to addressing the needs of all these Americans. This calls for a diverse set of policy tools, reforms in the care delivery and insurance systems, and innovations in business practices, as opposed to a one-size-fits-all approach. Pfizer supports efforts to extend health insurance to more Americans that:
Provide Patient Choice and Flexibility: The uninsured are a diverse population comprised of children, working families, single adults, and immigrants. To meet their needs, the marketplace should rely on multiple approaches. Americans should have a choice of plan benefits, providers, treatment options, and cost-sharing arrangements so that insurance and care is individualized.
Strengthen the Existing Employer-Based System: More than 160 million Americans receive health insurance through employers and this method of delivering insurance has worked well for over 50 years. Efforts to expand access to health insurance should build on, not dismantle, this model. For example, young adults may be served best by some reforms in insurance practices that keep them from falling off of their parents' coverage.
Provide for those most in need: Public safety net programs should be maintained to meet the needs of vulnerable Americans who cannot access or afford private coverage. In addition, efforts should be made to inform and enroll the estimated 14 million people who are eligible for programs that already exist.
Reward Preventive Health Practices:Proposals should include incentives that encourage preventive health and the management of chronic diseases. Coverage of early screenings for disease, preventive medications, health education, and disease management programs would encourage the early detection and treatment of diseases.
Ensure a Cost Effective Health Care System: Patients should have cost-sharing requirements that foster the cost-conscious use of the health care system, but do not deter them from obtaining essential health services. Keeping cost-sharing affordable for primary and preventive care services is particularly important because those services are vital to early detection and treatment, and the avoidance of much greater costs that occur later on if these opportunities are missed.
Meet the Needs of Tomorrow's Patients: A sustainable health care system must be able to meet the health care needs of patients today and those of the future. Incentives for technological innovation are critical to medical progress and must be maintained.
By mixing and matching various policy options, we could make substantial progress toward improving access to health care for all Americans.
http://www.pfizer.com/about/public_policy/uninsured.jsp
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