Newspapers Examine Health Care Issues Prompted by Current Economic Recession
Two newspapers recently published articles that examined the health care issues faced by many individuals as a result of the current economic recession. Summaries appear below.
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Raleigh News & Observer: The News & Observer on Monday examined the problems with medical costs that many individuals face amid the current economic recession. Many individuals "skip checkups, postpone surgeries and leave prescriptions for expensive medicines unfilled," the News & Observer reports. According to the News & Observer, as "consumers look to lower their expenses, cost can trump disease prevention, and lives are put on the line, especially among the uninsured, the underinsured and the increasing number of unemployed about to lose health insurance" (Vollmer, Raleigh News & Observer, 12/21).
- San Francisco Chronicle: The Chronicle on Sunday examined the health insurance options for individuals who lose their jobs and their employer-sponsored coverage. According to the Chronicle, with the "recession and the expectation that job losses will get worse next year, a growing number of American workers will find themselves not only out of a job, but without access to affordable health coverage" (Colliver [1], San Francisco Chronicle, 12/21). In a related article, the Chronicle examined onsite health clinics that some large employers have begun to offer to help "improve their employees' health, cut medical costs and reduce the amount of time workers spend out of the office for doctor appointments" (Colliver [2], San Francisco Chronicle, 12/21).
