Uninsured Exceeds the Cumulative Population of 24 States

[usregimechange]

The following is the statement of Kathleen Stoll, Health Policy Director of Families USA, about the Census Bureau's newly released findings that the number of uninsured Americans rose to 47.0 million during 2006:

“We are appalled, but not surprised to see that the number of people without health insurance continues to grow. Under the Bush Administration we have seen the number of uninsured Americans go from 39.8 million (14.1%) in 2001* to 47.0 million (15.8%) by the end of 2006. Yet, the Administration has taken no constructive action to address the problem.

“The huge number of uninsured Americans exceeds the cumulative population of 24 states plus the District of Columbia.¹ This epidemic of uninsurance has reached crisis proportions, and Americans want to see the problem solved. Fortunately, Congress is taking a big step forward in its effort to renew and strengthen the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) this year.
http://www.familiesusa.org/resources/newsroom/press-releases/2007-press-releases/number-of-uninsured-increases.html

[Annces]

1. This seems like such a no-brainer

I don't know why people who call themselves republicans do not want universal healthcare.

[NMMNG]

3. Simple

That's "socialism". You're supposed to provide for your own or go without.

[usregimechange]

4. You do not need socialism to do this.

[usregimechange]

5. In fact, you don't even need gov control of health care to do it

[NMMNG]

6. I know that

But they (the Republicans)claim universal health care is socialism.

[usregimechange]

10. yeah, because they do not know what they are talking about.

nothing new there.

[usregimechange]

2. I think this is an outrage, I want people on the streets!

[WhiteTara]

9. I'll meet you

it just takes one person to start a movement, but it takes leadership to sustain it. We lack leadership...well maybe not leadership even, just coordination and organization. Where are the Grey Panthers and the Black Panthers? Somehow during the 60s, organization was easier because the unions were still in place. Today, although we have the internets, we live virtually and don't go out together except for mass demos.

[Wcross]

7. How is this for a simple plan.

Offer a tax credit for health insurance premiums. If you already receive health insurance at your place of employment it would be considered income for tax purposes. A tax credit would be available to cover the premium costs depending on how many dependents you claim on your return.

[Sapphire Blue]

8. "Amazingly, this deplorable situation has not been met with righteous anger or shock."

September 9, 2007

My view: Aaron E. Carroll, M.D.
Medicare-for-all would keep everyone covered


One year ago, when the U.S. Census Bureau released its figures on Americans lacking health insurance in 2005, I wrote a piece here describing the sad state of the health care system in America. Recently, the 2006 numbers were released, and things have only gotten worse.

The number of uninsured Americans has jumped by 2.2 million to 47 million. This rise in the number of people without health insurance is the biggest jump reported by the Census Bureau since 1992. There are now more uninsured people in the United States than at any time since the passage of Medicare and Medicaid in the mid-1960s.

Amazingly, this deplorable situation has not been met with righteous anger or shock. It barely made a splash in the news. Yet, these numbers represent extraordinary suffering, unnecessary disability and premature deaths -- at least 18,000 deaths per year, according to the Institute of Medicine.
Before we jump to conclusions about who is uninsured in America, some of the facts in the Census Bureau's report deserve closer attention.

More than 90 percent of the newly uninsured are families with middle or high incomes. Some 1.4 million of the newly uninsured, accounting for 64 percent of the increase, are in families making more than $75,000 per year. An additional 633,000 new uninsured, 29 percent of the increase, are in families earning between $50,000 and $75,000. More than half the newly uninsured are full-time workers.

This divergence between poverty and uninsurance is relatively new and striking. Until now, as poverty went down, uninsurance fell. Now this has changed. Health insurance is so expensive (more than $11,000 for a family policy) that even middle-class families potentially face financial ruin along with illness and injury.

Do not be fooled into thinking any of the incremental changes we have been making are going to solve this problem....

(snip)

There is one sure-fire way to make these numbers come down. It worked for seniors in the 1960s and it still works for them today. You may hear politicians demonizing government-run health insurance, but you will hear none run on a platform of eradicating Medicare; nor will any turn it down for themselves when they turn 65. Call it whatever you want: National health insurance, Medicare-for-all, "single-payer" or socialized health insurance; it doesn't matter. Research shows that Medicare-for-all could save enough on administrative waste ($350 billion) to cover all the 47 million uninsured and improve coverage for everyone else. A single-payer national health insurance system is the only way to drop the number of people lacking health insurance to zero.

Wouldn't that be nice to read in next year's Census statistics?


http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070909/OPINION01/709090358/-1/LOCAL17

[ryanus]

11. I think the real problem is not the number of insured, but health care costs

People can't afford health care out of pocket, so they have to get health insurance. So rather than getting everyone on insurance, why can't we find a way to bring down health care costs?