[tri-med] Re: Public Health Care Alert in UK

Who would like to explain to those in the following numbers that we need to 
slow down on getting expanded and affordable healthcare coverage:
(from http://www.nchc.org/facts/coverage.shtml)
Who are Who are the uninsured?

        * Nearly 46 million Americans, or 18 percent of the population under 
the age  of 65, were without health insurance in 2007, the latest government 
data  available.1 
        * The number of uninsured rose 2.2 million between 2005 and 2006 and  
has increased by almost 8 million people since 2000.1 
        * The large majority of  the uninsured (80 percent) are native or 
naturalized citizens.2 
        * The increase  in the number of uninsured in 2006 was focused among 
working age adults. The  percentage of working adults (18 to 64) who had no 
health coverage climbed from  19.7 percent in 2005 to 20.2 percent in 2006.1 
Nearly 1.3 million full-time  workers lost their health insurance in 2006. 
        * Nearly 90 million people â?? about  one-third of the population below 
the age of 65 spent a portion of either 2006  or 2007 without health coverage.3 
        * Over 8 in 10 uninsured people come from  working families â?? almost 
70 percent from families with one or more full-time  workers and 11 percent 
from families with part-time workers.2 
        * The percentage  of people (workers and dependents) with 
employment-based health insurance has  dropped from 70 percent in 1987 to 62 
percent in 2007. This is the lowest level  of employment-based insurance 
coverage in more than a decade.4, 5 
        * In 2005,  nearly 15 percent of employees had no employer-sponsored 
health coverage  available to them, either through their own job or through a 
family member.6 
        * In 2007, 37 million workers were uninsured because not all businesses 
offer  health benefits, not all workers qualify for coverage and many employees 
cannot  afford their share of the health insurance premium even when coverage 
is at  their fingertips.1 
        * The number of uninsured children in 2007 was 8.1 million â??  or 10.7 
percent of all children in the U.S.1 
        * Young adults (18-to-24 years old)  remained the least likely of any 
age group to have health insurance in 2007 â??  28.1 percent of this group did 
not have health insurance.1 
        * The percentage and  the number of uninsured Hispanics increased to 
32.1 percent and 15 million in  2007.1 
        * Nearly 40 percent of the uninsured population reside in households 
that  earn $50,000 or more.1 A growing number of middle-income families cannot 
afford  health insurance payments even when coverage is offered by their 
employers.Another study (February 2009) has indicated that due to the recent 
economic crisis, approximately 14,000 more each day lose their insurance. (see 
here http://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/2009/02/health_in_crisis.html)

Having no insurance and needing health care of course has a major impact on 
individual bankruptcy: see http://www.pnhp.org/facts/bankruptcy_study.php

It appears that those who would like to see health insurance reform not 
progress do not fall into any of the aforementioned categories, and enjoy 
health coverage (which has become a privilege versus a fundamental right).  I 
am fortunate enough to have coverage through my work, and doubly fortunate to 
be exceedingly unlikely to lose my job.  Of course, health care costs still 
impact me and my employer, but far less than others experiencing different 
circumstances.  Insurance companies do not want reform to progress because it 
will affect their bottom line.  Many politicians seem to be resisting reform 
because: 1) they want to see the president fail and to (in the words of one 
senator) "break him."; or 2) they are getting loads of money from industries 
interested in maintaining the status quo.  

There have been concerns that reform would negatively impact people with 
disabilities.  However, I haven't seen any evidence that the current system 
does well by people with disabilities. Of course, if you have good coverage you 
are protected better than others, but that is a long way from providing 
universal protection (which in my opinion should be a goal, and not "I got 
mine, you get yours").  The issue of the disabled is a very real concern that 
needs to be addressed.  I tried to find any policy statements from advocacy 
groups regarding this point, but have not been able to find any.  The closest I 
came was from The ARC, but it was not specially addressing any current 
proposals.  People should be calling their Senators and Representatives to make 
the point that any reform must protect those with disabilities.  There is 
language in current proposals to end the practice of removing coverage for 
pre-existing conditions.  There should be like language to
 protect the disabled.  I would like to know if there are any organizations out 
there that have offered specific amendments to be included. If not, then an 
important questions would be why not.

Gary




________________________________
From: Audry Nafziger <Audry.Nafziger@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: tri-med@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 2:17:14 PM
Subject: [tri-med] Re: Public Health Care Alert in UK

Fawna,

You make a compelling case.  I work, in large part, to afford PPO which has 
also saved my T18 daughter.  As parents it would be wise to get on the phone to 
your legislators in DC.  This rushed train must be stopped and time and effort 
must be put in before any gov't plans are voted on.  Do it for our kids, and 
for the special needs kids of the future.

Audry
                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                      www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line
                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

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