The health care crisis is so much worse than any of us imagined. The latest statistics, as released in a new report yesterday, are staggering.
49.5 million without health insurance
25 million who are "underinsured" and facing huge medical bills they can't afford to pay
And the problem is no longer reserved for those with low incomes (<$20,000 per year) but is creeping into the middle class, having grown 300% just in the last 4 years for families that make between $20,000 - $40,000 a year..</p>
The crisis in health insurance and health care costs in this country has never been worse.
The Commonwealth Fund released a new report yesterday that estimates that not only have the number of uninsured grown to 49.5 million, but those who are underinsured (who spend 10% or more of their annual household income on medical care out of their own pocket or who have a deductible that is equal to or greater than 5% of the annual household income) has grown exponentially.
For those of you who want to read the full paper that appeared in the journal Health Affairs, it was released yesterday as a web exclusive (10.1377/hlthaff.27.4.w298).
The crisis in our health care system is no longer one of not being able to afford or buy health insurance. It includes 25 million people who have health insurance and pay their premiums, often for health plans that offer them little to no protection when they get sick. The estimate of 25 million underinsured is just the tip of the iceberg. This group includes those who have terrible coverage and got sick last year. But there are many, many more, who are equally vulnerable, but who just don't know it yet. You see, most people do not realize how bad their coverage is until they have to use it, only to find out that it does not cover what they need.
What is this lousy coverage that seems to be sweeping the country? It is high deductible health plans, with limited benefits that include a cap on how much in total costs your policy will cover and limits on the number of patient visits that are covered.
In fact, it is exactly this kind of lousy insurance that John McCain promises to make available to all Americans. You too can have health insurance that could leave you in finacial ruin in your future! The irony of the McCain proposal is that neither John McCain nor Elizabeth Edwards would be able to buy health insurance under McCain's plan because they have pre-existing conditions (cancer)! In fact, anyone who is sick or has a pre-existing condition would find it impossible to get health insurance coverage in the individual market, which is where McCain wants everyone to buy their own health insurance.
I had the privilege of being on the Kathleen Dunn show on Wisconsin Public Radio yesterday to talk about this report and what it means. The link to the program is here
Kathleen Dunn Show on Underinsured
The call I got were heartbreaking. Apparently it is not uncommon in Wisconsin for families to have policies with $10,000 deductibles! One women called to tell me about a policy that she and her husband have that costs them $12,000 in premiums with an $8,000 deductible. This family has to spend more than $20,000 in health care BEFORE their insurance kicks in. That is not insurance. That is outrageous!
It appears that as a nation we are going backwards with more and more people lacking any insurance and an even faster growing number of people having completely inadequate coverage. The solution to this crisis is not to extent lousy insurance to more Americans. It is to make sure that ALL Americans have comprehensive affordable health insurance that promotes their health and protects them when they are sick and injured. No one should face bankruptcy because they got sick. It is immoral and inhumane and intolerable.
The Congress is already starting to draft Senator Obama's health plan into legislation that can be introduced shortly after the inauguration. It will be imperative that the plan not just extend health insurance to those who don't have it, but also that it provides better options for the millions of Americans who have health insurance that is completely inadequate to meet their needs and does not protect them from financial ruin.
Have at it Kossacks. Tell us you story and what you need. The time to act is now.