Saturday, April 29, 2006
Cover the Uninsured Week
May 1-7th brings attention to this health crisis:The Problem
Nearly 46 million Americans, including more than 8 million children, are living without health insurance - forced to gamble every day that they won't get sick or injured. That's a risk no one should have to take. Uninsured Americans live sicker and die younger than those with health insurance. Just one serious illness or injury can wipe out an uninsured family's bank account, and the problem is getting worse.
The Response
That's why the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and some of the most influential organizations in the country are again organizing Cover the Uninsured Week. This year's effort will mobilize thousands of individuals and organizations from many sectors of society to plan activities to tell Congress that health care coverage must be their top priority.
Posted by Kevin |
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http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/opinion/14450555.htm
Parsing . . .
Most of the uninsured in Massachusetts fell into three groups, the proportions of which are fairly typical nationwide:
About 20 percent were poor people who qualify for Medicaid but haven't bothered to sign up. This represents new spending for the state, but this group is entitled to a program.
About 40 percent are low-income households that don't qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford health insurance. The state will subsidize their premiums.
The remaining 40 percent were the primary target of the mandate. They can afford health insurance but simply choose not to buy it. When they are hit by catastrophic medical bills, they can't pay, so the rest of us have to pick up the tab.
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Parsing . . .
Most of the uninsured in Massachusetts fell into three groups, the proportions of which are fairly typical nationwide:
About 20 percent were poor people who qualify for Medicaid but haven't bothered to sign up. This represents new spending for the state, but this group is entitled to a program.
About 40 percent are low-income households that don't qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford health insurance. The state will subsidize their premiums.
The remaining 40 percent were the primary target of the mandate. They can afford health insurance but simply choose not to buy it. When they are hit by catastrophic medical bills, they can't pay, so the rest of us have to pick up the tab.
# posted by 
: 3:04 PM
: 3:04 PM
