60 People A Day Die Because They Can't Afford Health Insurance

[Vinca]

From our local paper -

"In 2000 the mainstream medical institutional research icon, the Institute of Medicine (IOM), determined that 18,000 Americans were dying every year because they didn't have health insurance. Recognizing that the number of uninsured has continued to rise, the IOM had their numbers crunchers update the figure.

The IOM estimates that 137,000 people died from 2000 to 2006 because they lacked health insurance. The estimate for 2006 alone is 22,000. That means that 60 people are dying every day in this prosperous country because they can't afford health insurance."

http://www.reformer.com/columnists/ci_7983932

This is the "official" number. It's probably much higher given the large homeless population in this country and the number of people who won't even attempt to obtain healthcare anymore.

[Bonobo]

1. And how many are in chronic pain from toothaches or common ailments?

My mom had to take a poor woman in her thirties to have all her teeth removed, and no, she is apparently not a meth head.

[Horse with no Name]

2. 21,900 people.

That is almost TEN 911's each and every year...

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

17. Let's name those terrorists on our lives.

Would you also, please, provide a citation on that number,...not that I doubt it (to the contrary, I believe unnecessary death due to lack of medical attention is far FAR greater than that).

[Horse with no Name]

20. Citation on the number?

60 people a day multiplied by 365 days a year equals 21,900.

[Vinca]

28. I couldn't locate it on the IOM site, but apparently someone else did -

The number cited in the article I first referenced was 22,000 for 2006. http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:sps2QIqIrHgJ:www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/411588_uninsured_dying.pdf+institute+of+medicine+2006+22,000+uninsured+die&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us

[malaise]

3. So what?

Don't you know that Britney is having problems? :sarcasm:

[gratuitous]

5. Indeed

I mean, what do they have to do, have George W. print maps to the emergency rooms for them? George W. said they could always go to the emergency room in this, the greatest nation on the planet with the best health care in the world.

[Sugar Smack]

8. OH!

No, you didn't!!!!!!!!

[wintersoulja]

4. bear in mind the insured barely get better treatment

The local Community Hospital is paid $20 million a year to handle the poor and uninsured.
I witnessed the deaths of two homeless women myself from their neglect.
They are no more accountable for those wrongful deaths than Bush.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

18. They do get better treatment,...they get MORE and consistent treatment.

However, they pay with their lives for their life.

Although insured, my cancer-ridden sister and her husband may be forced to sell their home to pay the tens of thousands insurance won't pay.

Interesting, though, how you assert a position about "the insured" but fail to address that, in the body of your post. As a matter of fact, your post makes no sense at all, re-reading it. I know you have a point.

[wintersoulja]

27. sorry

My sense is the insured get the complete runaround as much as the uninsured because thats how they enlarge their profit margin. As long as there is a profit at stake to an intermediary, providing services is against their motive. My take on this is based on the simultaneous experience of acquaintances who had family in the same hospital at the same time. If you knew the story Im not telling about these dead homeless women you would be absolutely horrified. I hope.

[LaPera]

6. They lie and say 47 million Americans do not have insurance the same figure they used in 2000!!

And it has only gotten worse....Both democrats and republicans use that OLD 47 million figure, the media continues to throw out as if it hasn't gotten worse while tens of millions more than the 47 million are without insurance...more losing it or can't afford it each and every day!

And what about the tens of millions who have some insurance, but their actual medical coverage keeps shrinking and the benefits paid and what they are inured for is nearly nothing, while the their insurance cost keep going up?

The 2000 calculation (guess) that 47 million people is a gross understatement, a LIE! - Here and now in 2008 under BushCo & the six years of corporate republican rule...it's much more and who deny it?

[avaistheone1]

7. Edwards and Kucinich are the only candidates for SINGLE-PAYER universal coverage.

It is the only health care that is going to make a difference - it cuts the insurance companies out of the picture.

[LaPera]

9. That's one of the BIG reason I support John Edwards!

[slipslidingaway]

11. The Edwards plan is NOT single-payer n/t

[Blue Congress]

23. Edwards is mandated insurance- big difference

and if you don't buy insurance, they will garnish your wages.

If Edwards, Obama or Hillary really wanted to provide health care to the American people, they would get behind the legislation already in Congress(with many cosponsors) and help promote it during this election season.
That is the smartest fastest way to provide desperately needed health care.

We need to work to elect Congressmen who will support this legislation

http://peacecandidates.com/

[IronLionZion]

14. Edwards' plan not single-payer.

http://www.johnedwards.com/issues/health-care/

Tell me how it's different from Hillary's.

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/feature/healthcareplan/

[hootinholler]

25. Edwards plan is not single payer not for profit...

But it might provide a path to get there.

-Hoot

[avaistheone1]

33. Edwards said his plan will transition to SINGLE PAYER not for profit universal health coverage.

[LSK]

10. but but but terror!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You must fear the LEAST LIKELY THING TO KILL YOU!!!

:crazy:

[jus_the_facts]

12. Deaths from Medical Errors at 195,000 per Year USA..... oh the humanity!!!

.....seems your chances are better without healthcare sometimes. :evilfrown:


http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/11856.php


An average of 195,000 people in the USA died due to potentially preventable, in-hospital medical errors in each of the years 2000, 2001 and 2002, according to a new study of 37 million patient records that was released today by HealthGrades, the healthcare quality company.

The HealthGrades Patient Safety in American Hospitals study is the first to look at the mortality and economic impact of medical errors and injuries that occurred during Medicare hospital admissions nationwide from 2000 to 2002. The HealthGrades study applied the mortality and economic impact models developed by Dr. Chunliu Zhan and Dr. Marlene R. Miller in a research study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in October of 2003. The Zhan and Miller study supported the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) 1999 report conclusion, which found that medical errors caused up to 98,000 deaths annually and should be considered a national epidemic.

If the Center for Disease Control's annual list of leading causes of death included medical errors, it would show up as number six, ahead of diabetes, pneumonia, Alzheimer's disease and renal disease," continued Dr. Collier. "Hospitals need to act on this, and consumers need to arm themselves with enough information to make quality-oriented health care choices when selecting a hospital."

[TomClash]

13. No matter what they say in public, the real Republican response is . . .

" . . . they're surplus labor or sick and useless. Who cares if they die? They're better off dead anyway."

By the way, almost two decades ago, I was almost one of those who died - only because my employer, whose principals made over $1m a year apiece (almost 20 years ago) - refused to pay for health insurance.

It's so bad today that my employees ask me why I pay 100% of their health care premiums when most of their friends have no health care.

They look at me quizzically when I tell them it is a universal human right.

[antigop]

16. Actually, the real Republican response I have received is.....

"I don't trust any type of study that cites these statistics until I know who really sponsored the study. The study was probably done by someone with an agenda."

So it doesn't really matter to the Republicans that I try to discuss this stuff with...they won't believe it.

[TomClash]

19. That's their public response to you

I just think they don't care about people. Money is more important. Period.

[antigop]

22. That's great, Tom...You tell them it is a "universal human right"

Amen.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

15. My dad and sister are fighting cancer. Both insured but tens of thousands in debt.

I am uninsured. Even when I feel sick, I don't go to the hospital.

If I get so sick I must go, will I get the treatment I need.

A few days ago, I broke into tears talking about this topic with a friend of mine. In this country, I am an American that could die from the most simple illness (like the flu or MRSA) and will certainly die if I am plagued with the kind of illness my own father and sister fight.

:cry:

Maybe, I should rob a bank. Prisoners have a constitutional right to healthcare. *lol*

*sigh*

[hootinholler]

26. Interesting defense!

No need to rob a bank, other crimes are more convenient. Would a judge and jury let you off if you claim obtaining healthcare was the reason for the crime?

-Hoot

[Contrary1]

21. I worked with a guy that had no insurance...

he was coughing and feeling lousy for weeks, so he finally went to a low cost clinic.
The x-ray picked up a suspicious spot on one of his lungs. They advised him to see a
regular doctor as soon as possible.

He told me he wished he had never gone to the clinic in the first place, that he was
hoping it was just pneumonia. It wasn't. He was not going to follow up on it.

I left my job a few weeks later, so I don't know what became of him. How sad that those
who are willing to work for the least amount of money cannot afford insurance.

[bluethruandthru]

24. It doesn't matter if you're insured or not.

How many people have to think twice before going to the doctor...even if they're insured? I know I let alot of things go because even though I have good insurance, I still have to pay big deductibles and the 20 percent or more not covered. That's no small amount.
I'm sure there are lots of people who put off getting things checked and those things turn into much bigger problems because the person waited.

[tsuki]

29. How many are dying that have health insurance and are denied

coverage? Wonder what the real total is?

[wintersoulja]

30. exactly

i dont think its that hard to daignose the real problem.
Just that hard to discuss it in our democratic debates.

[Vinca]

31. I don't know if anyone tracks that number or not.

I bet it's larger than the number for the uninsured, though. It would be interesting to know.

[tsuki]

32. My mind keeps going back to the family that had insurance and their

daughter died because the insurance company denied benefits.

[deadlikeme13]

34. The girl that needed a liver transplant?