Texas No. 1 for uninsured rate, again - Implications for Spread of Ebola?

[TomCADem]

The corporate media will, of course, refuse to cover the lack of insurance coverage in red states. Worse, the media will attempt to blame Democrats for the efforts of Republicans to halt the implementation of the ACA. However, what you will not hear is an answer to the question of whether we expect people without insurance coverage to go to a doctor at the first sign of a fever. The first ebola patient did not go to the Hospital until his fever was 103 degrees, and he was sent home with Tylenol. In contrast, the Texas nurse went to seek help at the very first sign of fever, presumably because she has health coverage.

Will the State of Texas pay for these visits? Or, will they continue to insist that health care is not a right, and let communicable diseases spread?


http://kxan.com/2014/09/16/texas-no-1-for-uninsured-rate-again/

AUSTIN (KXAN) — New numbers from the U.S. Census show Texas holds the title of the state with the highest rate of uninsured people, with more than 22 percent of the population without health insurance.

Massachusetts had the lowest rate with a 3.7 percent uninsured population.

The numbers from the U.S. Census American Community Survey show the rate of people without insurance dropped in Texas in 2013 to 22.1 percent from 22.5 percent the year before, meaning about 5.7 million people don’t have health insurance in the state.

The health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act began to take effect in January, after this data was collected.

[DonCoquixote]

1. It means I fear for Florida

Which Rick Scott is turning into Texas's little brother.

[TomCADem]

2. Is it possible for a layperson to distinguish...

...between a flu and early Ebola? Headache, fever, weakness? I think many uninsured would just tough out what might initially look like a flu. Likewise, a hospital ER might just send such an uninsured person home.

[Avalux]

4. Cardinal sign: Temp of 101.5 or over.

Some of the other symptoms may be similar; a high temp should prompt seeking medical care. Really though, the most important factor is close contact with an infected person. Which is a whole lot different than the way one becomes infected with the flu. Ebola can be ruled out of there has been no contact with someone who has it.

[Avalux]

3. Not Ebola, but another more easily spread infection that can truly cause a pandemic.

Ebola is our warning sign that our health care system is really messed up and we need to make changes. If we don't heed the warning, another scary bug will come along that will overwhelm the system and render it completely ineffective. Then we're all on our own.

I don't have much hope that sweeping change will happen. After this Ebola scare is over, everyone will breathe a sigh of relief and fall right back into the status quo.

So essentially - we are all on our own if a pandemic hits.