46.1 million people with no health insurance living in the United States

[dajoki]

Monsters and Critics
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/health/article_12137...

Analysis: Snapshot of the uninsured
By Olga Pierce Oct 23, 2006, 17:49 GMT

WASHINGTON, DC, United States (UPI) -- The shifting nature of the U.S. economy could be the key to why employment is up -- but the number of people lacking health insurance has not gone down.

'It appears that a rising tide can swamp some boats,' Ed Howard of the Alliance for Health Reform told congressional staffers at a recent briefing.

Typically, when the economy improves, so does the problem of uninsurance. But since 2003 -- despite the fact that there are 4.2 million fewer households with no one employed -- the number of uninsured increased by 2.1 million, and there are now 46.1 million people with no health insurance living in the United States.

<<snip>>

Between 2000 and 2005, 2 million jobs were eliminated in industries with high rates of employer-sponsored insurance, while 5.6 million were created in low-rate industries, according to a report by the Urban Institute for the Kaiser Family Foundation.

The result: Employer-sponsored insurance rates among employees fell from 81 percent in 2001 to 77 percent in 2005.

[MadMaddie]

1. And the rates are crazy for employees that are hourly and would like

to purchase Health Insurance.....it's a shame..

[Union Thug]

4. 900$/month to cover a family of four.

This is for COBRA to maintain my current medical and dental benefits. Yeah, that's affordable. That's more than my mortage (800$/month). What's wrong with this picture?

[MadMaddie]

5. For me and my spouse it's $700.00 and that doesn't include

vision and dental....sigh....

[dajoki]

7. My Aunt and Uncle...

who are in their eighties on SS and small pension, $486 a month!!

[MadMaddie]

8. That's insane...we are quickly approaching where the US was

in the 70's and 80's where the elderly were choosing health care and rent payments over food and eating dog or cat food....this is not the America I want...I hope to God we can change this path we are on in November...

[dajoki]

10. You and me both, MadMaddie...

It's shameful!!

[Megahurtz]

30. With prices like these

why even pay for health care? Why not just pay as you go?

Oh that's right, I forgot.
The Doctors won't even give you a second look if you don't have all the money up front.
They could care less if you die over it.
It's all that "Compassionate Conservativism" that's rubbed off on them

[dajoki]

31. boy, is that the truth!!

[NMDemDist2]

2. thanks to my new job, I'll stop being one of them after 3 years

uninsured. but to add my spouse is gonna cost close to $200 a MONTH!

that's just ghastly IMO

[Strawman]

6. Yep. The number of uninsured is only half the story

The premiums keep going up while wages stay flat. The executive class is nickle and diming the middle class to death. Pretty soon a good chunk of what's left of the middle class will only be able to afford catastrophic health insurance.

[dajoki]

15. What middle class?

[loyalsister]

22. not to mention

People who have Medicaid and or Medicare are counted among the insured.
Despite the fact that the only reason many people do have them is because they were uninsured when a major health crisis\disability hit and they may have potential to work if insurance were not attached to employment\indigency.

[dajoki]

14. Yes, it is ghastly...

I remember a time when employers covered all or most of our healtcare, but that seems like centuries ago. At least before Raygun, anyway.

[mainegreen]

23. 200 month? Thats cheap cheap cheap.

Try 250 a week up here.

[swag]

3. Gee, last I looked it was only 39 million.

USA! USA! USA! USA!

[bemildred]

9. Personally, while I like having access to health care,

the last thing I want to do is give any money to "health insurance", which is and always has been a scam. What we need is a public health care system, not "health care insurance".

[dajoki]

11. I totally agree n/t

[datadiva]

12. In a few weeks I am going to join them

I can't afford to pay the 486.00 per month for insurance and pay for all the tests I have to have that it doesn't pay for. I am going to have to cancel my insurance so I can pay all the bills I racked up the last couple of months. It's a damn shame. I am 61, I work and pay for my own insurance.

[havocmom]

13. Yep, too many INSURED people find the insurance won't pay

for what they need.

They always cash your checks though.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

16. How many are under-insured with only major-medical coverage w/ big deductibles?

[havocmom]

17. Even with decent coverage, more limits to care options all the time.

Took me so long to get an HMO to admit I did have a tumor and it did need to come out that I almost lost the use of my hand for life. Wearing patients down with time and extreme requirements for tests and tests and tests, limits on payments to physicians to the point many won't treat patients for what they will get paid, making doctors see so many people that any visit to your primary care person is pointless...

Care is abysmal. Doctors are opting out or retiring all together. Insurance or no, you are likely not to really have health care in America under the current, insurance bureaucracy driven system.

My sis has the best insurance and she is STILL having to battle them for every bit of the care she needs for cancer. She has resources with which to fight. I gave up on medicine long ago. When it takes more energy than one has, one gives up and that is why the insurers play the way they do.

[dajoki]

19. That is so true and so sad...

I hope everything works out for you and your sis. Good Luck!!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

26. (raises hand)

At my age (too old to be a desirable customer and too young for Medicare) the only insurance I can afford is $200 a month for "insurance" that has a $5000 deducctible AND covers only 80% above that.

A couple of months ago, an acquaintance told me that she is in the same boat. $200 a month is at the limits of affordability for her, but it buys only that $5000 deductible.

And the really crazy thing is that Minnesota is supposed to be a GOOD state for insurance coverage.

[OzarkDem]

24. Don't give up the insurance

instead, work out a payment plan for the medical bills you owe that will still allow you to pay for health insurance. Don't be afraid to call the hospital, clinic, whatever and tell them "I can only afford to pay you $10 or $20 a month. They would much prefer you keep your health insurance and make smaller payments than have you go without health insurance.

[ACK]

18. Healthcare is crazy

No one profits off this shit except the insurance companies.

The doctors and hospitals get screwed.

The uninsured and insured get screwed.

This is the mind fuck though even the corporations outside of the insurance industry get screwed.

I cannot even begin to imagine how much my big media corporation spends every year in terms of tracking health insurance for the employees here its damn well mind-boggling.

Damn if you pooled all of the American public into large buying blocks demanded corporate contributions equaling only say 80% of what they are paying now and did not ask even one penny more from the average American from what they are paying now still such a centralized plan of control should be able to squeeze enough savings to insure the uninsured at the very least. In fact, it seems that such a plan would even show a savings to the current situation for the average middle class American.

Its crazy we are letting the entire country from the biggest business to the doctors providing care over to the normal joe on the street get screwed just so one industry can continue to rape the entire population of the US.

OMFG, its insane.

[plcdude]

20. excellent

This speaks directly to the mythical claim that the economy is doing well also.

[SPCAworks]

21. As one of those with no insurance

I can say that something is seriously wrong. Healthcare costs are out of control.

I recently paid $695 to have a loose crown REGLUED in.

My wife recently paid $1000 for a root canal, the crown is an additional $1000.

I'm not in favor of many "socialistic" programs but National Healthcare can't be a bad thing.

[OzarkDem]

25. Agree, dental and orthodontics are through the roof

its getting ridiculous.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

27. Yup, I'm scheduled for a $1000 root canal next week

[sarcasmo]

29. Web MD is your friend. You can find alternative sources at their site.

I have Insurance and have been using Web MD to find out my alternative medicines and foods. The Doctor is always my last resort.

[dajoki]

32. I'm in favor of anything...

that will help the disadvantaged in our society.

[sarcasmo]

28. This is the real issue along with the decline of wages.

Enough of the Gay bashing with the anti gay hypocritical Republicans. The Abortion issue has nothing on the health care issue. Kick and Nom for the sure stupidity of this Country.