An Ignoble Milestone For The Uninsured

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_12/027275.php

AN IGNOBLE MILESTONE FOR THE UNINSURED.... In case anyone needed a reminder on why health care reform was so absolutely necessary, the Huffington Post's Amy Lee reports this morning on the latest Kaiser Foundation study on America's uninsured.

As the Great Recession has sown unemployment and downgraded work even for those people who have held on to their jobs, the number of Americans lacking healthcare has swelled beyond 50 million, according to a sobering new report from the Kaiser Foundation.

Among the report's most troubling findings: The number of Americans without any health care coverage grew by more than four million in 2009. That left almost one-fifth of non-elderly people uninsured. Among those between 19 and 29 years old, nearly one-third lacked coverage.

The study underscores the degree to which the recession has accelerated the loss of basic elements once viewed as inextricable pieces of a middle class life. The number of Americans lacking medical coverage now exceeds the population of Spain. <...>

As those lacking health insurance grow in number, so do those missing out on necessary medical attention. About one-in-four uninsured adults have forgone care in the past year because of costs, compared to only 4 percent of those who have private coverage, according to the report.

It's against this backdrop that congressional Republicans, eyeing an ambitious agenda in 2011, insist that what we really need to do is gut the health care system, repeal the Affordable Care Act, and stop even trying to bring coverage to those families who need it, want it, but can't afford it.

The message to those 50 million, in a nutshell, is: Don't worry; you can always go to the emergency room.

If these tens of millions of uninsured Americans registered and voted against those who are adding to their hardship, Republicans wouldn't win another election at the federal level for quite a long while.

—Steve Benen

[FrenchieCat]

1. Considering that this OP was unrecced, it only shows that the sentiment....

"The message to those 50 million, in a nutshell, is: Don't worry; you can always go to the emergency room."


Is the message from some here as well.

[Arkansas Granny]

2. Considering that what is referred to as "health care reform" is actually

health insurance reform that will benefit the insurance companies more than it benefits many of the uninsured, it's hard for some of us to get really excited about it. BTW, I neither recced nor unrecced the OP.

[FrenchieCat]

4. Explain that to those who would have still wound up in the emergency rooms across America.

once whatever it was that they had took them there, because they weren't diagnosed till symptoms were obvious. Anyone not believing this is an improvement for them.......are perhaps the same folks who had a hard time understanding that 98% matters more than the 2% in the resulting tax cut compromise. Unfortunately, both legislation were not perfect, but will do good where it is most needed.

[Arkansas Granny]

5. Many of those will still wind up in the emergency rooms because even with

insurance they won't be able to pay the deductibles and co-pays that will allow them to access health care. If a person has to pay thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses before their insurance starts picking up the tab, they are still SOL when it comes to seeking the preventive medical care that they need. I don't see how forcing everyone to purchase their own health insurance will alleviate that problem.

[area51]

10. Thank you. n/t

[bornskeptic]

11. Why would you say this?

If a person has to pay thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses before their insurance starts picking up the tab, they are still SOL when it comes to seeking the preventive medical care that they need.

In 2014, when the mandate comes into effect, insurers will be required to cover preventive care without out of pocket cost to the insured. My employer provided insurance covers all preventive care and tests with only office visit copays for out of pocket costs. I have an $800 deductible, but the only time it actually came into effect was 4 years ago when I suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, requiring neurosurgery and a week in intensive care, and something like $70,000 in total medical and hospital bills, which cost me less than $4000. Every year since then I've had thousands of dollars in billed care, with only a few hundred in copays that I had to pay myself. My insurance has about a 70% actuarial value, so the 70% actuarial value insurance on the exchanges will be similar. If someone is telling you that policies offered on the exchange will have $5000 or $10000 deductibles, that perswon is lying to you.

[Exilednight]

13. Actually ......

"In 2014, when the mandate comes into effect, insurers will be required to cover preventive care without out of pocket cost to the insured." is not true.

The number of "preventive care" that is covered is very limited (e.g. only a handful of cancers). There are some good preventive measure that are covered, but not many.

It, also, doesn't address the expense of care if someone tests positive for any of the handful of tests that are covered.

[Mimosa]

17. Nothing in HCR act 2010 will stop the $10,000 deductibles, will it?

Or control premiums so they'll be affordable for people over 50 but not old enough for medicare.

Plus they're going to cut Medicare, right?

[Mimosa]

15. You must be securely insured.

I'd rather believe that than believe you're heartless.

Real people who don't want to burden their struggling partners or spouses tend to put off going to the doctor because a. they can't afford the bills at all, being uninsured or b. they can't afford high deductibles and co-pays.

And if they wind up in emergency rooms, they most often can't afford follow-up care because of a. and b.

Doctors i know say those who are broke and on Medicaid have it better than the lower struggling middle class.

But our country can afford bilions per month on wars in the Middle East. What is wrong with us?

[Exilednight]

12. Not to mention the fact, that since HCR has passed, the number of insured has steadily risen.

This was suppose to be Obama's big legislative win. It was suppose to be Obama's version of LBJ's civil rights reform.

Instead we get HCR that would be the equivalent of LBJ passing civil rights legislation by forcing African-Americans to paint themselves white.

[Clio the Leo]

3. kick nt

[Festivito]

6. This NEW report reports 2009 pre-HC-bill data. Link to DU with deeper links:

The 2009 data does not tell the current story of what happens with the new HC bill.

The story headlines and the report itself seem to SELL that it is NEW, instead of being 2009, pre-HC-bill history.

As for history, history is good.

PDFs at links beyond this link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4675039

[Vinca]

7. Come 2014, how many of the uninsured will be able to afford insurance,

even with the subsidies? At this point, I would love to know the exact number of people gaining any benefit from "reform" so far. I suspect, that like me, many inquired about the pre-existing condition pool and suddenly realized their lives were expendable. It's unaffordable for many. I imagine keeping kids on a policy is unaffordable for some as well. We're pretty much in the same condition we were prior to "reform," except big insurance knows it will be getting large government checks come 2014. We're at 50 million uninsured today and it is only going to go up. No wonder the rest of the world thinks the United States is little more than an insane asylum.

[Mimosa]

16. But do we serve as the mercenaries for other nations who don't send their young to fight?

These wars have cost us trillions.

[Supersedeas]

8. And the Network will give what....maybe a 15 to 20 second spot to this...then back to a long string

of Big Insurance commercials.

[Ron Green]

9. Medicare for All!

[Mimosa]

14. "almost one-fifth of non-elderly people uninsured"

Eeeek.

Just wait til 2014 when the miracle will happen!