Posts Tagged - ‘uninsured’

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FL Gov. Charlie Crist Vetoes Money For Uninsured

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

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Florida Republican-turned-Independent Governor and Senate Candidate Charlie Crist just vetoed a bill that budgeted almost $10 billion for hospitals to care for the uninsured and under-insured. Recent figures show 27% of non-senior citizen residents lacking Florida health insurance.

He may believe that healthcare reform will reduce the need for uncompensated charity care, since more people will have insurance. In addition, his state has been hard hit by the real estate slump. Still, people are confused, because Crist appeared to have given up on the conservative Tea Party vote once he dropped out of the Republican primary.

This particular line item has been in the state’s budget for over 30 years, far before affordable health insurance reform was a gleam in Barack Obama’s eye, and has been relatively noncontroversial during that time. However, the political climate is very heated, especially in an area where the Attorney General (Bill McCollum) has famously launched a lawsuit against the Obama administration on constitutional grounds.

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Homeless and Uninsured

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

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Compared to the general American population, the homeless are 10 times less likely to receive necessary health care. A person unable to afford shelter is obviously very unlikely to have health insurance–making care more difficult to find. About a third of them had problems finding needed surgical or medical services they could afford.

Although there are community clinics in many areas that charge based on a patient’s ability to pay–not to mention emergency rooms–there are issues with finding effective transportation, as well as their facilities. In addition, many clinics don’t cover vision or dental services. Both can be symptoms of general health issues.

Homeless individuals who had been employed at least part-time over the past year were more likely to be uninsured than the unemployed, possibly due to their lack of income eligibility for government health insurance plans such as Medicaid.

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More Restaurant Employees To Get Health Insurance

Monday, May 24th, 2010

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When it comes to low-wage service jobs, the restaurant industry is at the forefront. Many employees earn minimum wage or less, due to expected tips. Many employers do not offer health insurance. Other times, the insurance is just too expensive for employees with variable hours. That is why up to 10% of the currently uninsured are those working in the food service industry.

A breakthrough agreement looks to change the status quo. United HealthCare (one of America’s largest health insurers) and the National Restaurant Association (a leading trade group) are working together to increase health insurance plan access to employees.

Four to six million people will be affected. So far, the program will only be available in several states, but they are looking towards expansion nationwide.

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Most ER Patients Have Health Insurance

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

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Contrary to common belief–which states that the uninsured pack hospital emergency rooms with largely nonemergency ailments, a new survey has found that the majority of ER patients actually do have health insurance.

In 2007, only 10% of visits were for nonurgent cases. That was before the recession kicked in, so the percentage may be higher now. Moreover, the insured and uninsured went to the ER at similar rates. On the other hand, high-income individuals (whom are the most likely to have insurance) were least likely to go.

The findings from the National Center of Health Statistics undercut one of the arguments for health insurance plan reform. They believe that the primary cause of ER overcrowding is instead the consolidation and closing of emergency departments over the past several decades, leaving fewer facilities for a similar volume of patients.

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Uninsured Intensive Care Patients Less Likely To Survive

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

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According to a study of ICU units in Pennsylvania, people without a health insurance plan were 21% more likely to die within a month than those who were insured through private coverage, even though they visited the same hospitals.

Although nobody is accusing hospital intensive care units of conscious discrimination, the study showed that uninsured patients tend to receive less intense treatment–treatment that may have been able to save them.

There is also speculation that uninsured patients, having neglected treatment for such a long time, reach the ICU in worse health to begin with. Also, high costs may mean that those patients themselves chose less aggressive end-of-life treatments and shorter periods on life support. Some believe that healthcare reform, which seeks to insure millions of these Americans, will decrease the number of deaths.

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Uninsured? Don’t Get Surgery In A Home Office

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

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Really, nobody–regardless of health insurance status–should undergo surgery inside a person’s home, but the uninsured may go to desperate measures.

A case in California makes this sad point: a man died after receiving a botched $3,000 gallbladder surgery. Although such actions are technically illegal, many doctors and nurses use local anesthesia to get around the laws. Don’t forget that quite a few of these providers aren’t even real physicians!

In most cases, patients should use a hospital when having major procedures. If there is cardiac arrest or another complication, they will be better equipped to deal with it. An individual health insurance policy will usually have a network of approved hospitals and reputable surgical centers, where you can get procedures done at a discount.

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Will You Be Stuck In A State Health Insurance Pool?

Friday, April 30th, 2010

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The federal high-risk health insurance pool for people with pre-existing conditions will probably be cheaper than the pools that already exist in 35 states, due to the larger base of consumers.

Unfortunately, people who have already signed up for their state’s affordable health insurance option for high-risk patients won’t be eligible for the national program. In order to sign up for the federal program, you have to have been uninsured for at least six months.

Enacted as a temporary measure in the healthcare reform law, the federal pool will launch on July 1st. Some states are encouraging potential applicants for their programs to wait until then.

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Beware Of Lapses In Health Insurance Coverage

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

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Most people realize the importance of having a health insurance plan. Unfortunately, some may not believe that a short lapse in coverage is a big deal. The problem is that being uninsured for as little as 24 hours could end up being a major problem. If you need to visit the hospital during that short period of time, you’ll be responsible for the full bill.

When do these interruptions occur?

  • When you switch jobs
  • When you leave a job for self-employment or starting your own business, and buy your own health insurance plan
  • When you leave your parents’ health insurance
  • When you join your spouse’s health plan

There are other instances. Either way, try to avoid it. A good way to do that is with short term health insurance, which is available for terms as little as 30 days. It’ll help you fill the gap and avoid financial hardship.

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Health Insurance Law Will Increase Costs

Monday, April 26th, 2010

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Contrary to some initial estimates, a Medicare actuary predicts that health insurance reform will actually end up increasing the cost of health care in the United States!

On the positive side, there are measures to control the cost of Medicare by cutting provider payments and a tax on employer-sponsored high-cost health insurance plans that encourages more affordable options. Unfortunately, those are outweighed by the expansion of coverage and accompanying subsidies. According to Richard S. Foster, spending will increase by 0.9% ($311 billion) by 2019 than it otherwise would have without healthcare reform.

Some may believe that the relatively small increase is worth it in order to insure up to 30 more Americans, especially for progressives who consider affordable health insurance a human right. However, the findings go against the Obama administration’s promises that costs would eventually decrease.

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Unmarried and Uninsured Women

Wednesday, April 21st, 2010

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According to a recent study by liberal think tank Center for American Progress, women who aren’t married are more likely to be uninsured. To be exact, 60% of the women lacking affordable health insurance coverage are single.

Why is this the case? There are several reasons. Women are more likely to work lower-paid, minimum-wage, and/or part-time jobs without health benefits. Many married women are insured through their spouse’s employer, an option not open to unmarried women.

Women still make about 78 cents for every dollar a man earns, yet health insurance plans on the open market are more expensive for them. As a result, some women have been forced to go without. Healthcare reform plans to end the practice of gender rating, but that will take awhile.

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