Leap of Americans Without Health Care Not Confined to Low Income Groups
It was surprising to hear this week that our health care system is serving fewer and fewer of us each year... omitting segments of our society that we would naturally assume would enjoy care.
The US Census Bureau announced this week that 1.3 million Americans lost health care in the last five years, and the number of Americans who have no health insurance at all has grown to 6.8 million. This is a jump from 39.8 million in 2000 to 46.6 million in 2005.
You would think that this jump was mainly due to increases in segments of the society that are less affluent. Wrong! This year's increse was mainly concentrated in young households with incomes more than $50,000.
Dr. Henry Simmons, President of the National Coalition on Health Care said, "These surging uninsurance rates are not the result of a poor economy. On the contrary, these increases have taken place despite robust economic growth. The latest jump in the number of Americans unprotected by health coverage is a clear signal that what we are doing now is not working. We need, without delay, a major national debate about how to address America's health care crisis before the crisis deepens further."
2 Comments:
Jackie-
I think you need to clarify. Your statement "The US Census Bureau announced this week that 1.3 million Americans lost health care" is misleading.
Health CARE implies a system of interconnected access to physical, mental and dental health. Yes, I am being optimistic.
Health INSURANCE means a funding stream that ostensibly helps people access and pay for health CARE.
The only way to lose health CARE is to have a whole bunch of providers stop taking care of people. However, losing access to health care through loss of insurance benefits is pretty easy.
In Tarrant County Texas, we are losing both. The unemployment average is lower than the state's average (which is good- people are working!) However, the number of families living in poverty is almost double the state rate - which means, even when they're working, families do not have benefits associated with their employment.
In addition, if you want to get your child treatment for a mental illness, you have a six-month wait. Want specialty care (like dermatology for a skin condition)? Wait two months.
So, both health insurance and access to care are diminishing - for everyone.
Jackie-
I think you need to clarify. Your statement "The US Census Bureau announced this week that 1.3 million Americans lost health care" is misleading.
Health CARE implies a system of interconnected access to physical, mental and dental health. Yes, I am being optimistic.
Health INSURANCE means a funding stream that ostensibly helps people access and pay for health CARE.
The only way to lose health CARE is to have a whole bunch of providers stop taking care of people. However, losing access to health care through loss of insurance benefits is pretty easy.
In Tarrant County Texas, we are losing both. The unemployment average is lower than the state's average (which is good- people are working!) However, the number of families living in poverty is almost double the state rate - which means, even when they're working, families do not have benefits associated with their employment.
In addition, if you want to get your child treatment for a mental illness, you have a six-month wait. Want specialty care (like dermatology for a skin condition)? Wait two months.
So, both health insurance and access to care are diminishing - for everyone.
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