Kaiser Health News/Washington Post Examine Health Care Options for Newly Uninsured
Kaiser Health News/Washington Post on Tuesday examined how "growing numbers" of U.S. residents who once had jobs and health insurance "now seek treatment with neither." According to Kaiser Health News/Post, the "newly uninsured," as a group, "doesn't readily qualify for public [health insurance] programs ... but often can't afford to buy insurance or pay hospital, doctor and drug bills." These "[v]ictims of the deepening recession" are "now wondering where to turn for help," Kaiser Health News/Post reports.According to Kaiser Health News/Post, "This recession is much harder on the uninsured than on some others" particularly because "[h]ealth care and insurance costs have been rising faster than workers' incomes" and "buying a policy or paying for care out-of-pocket is prohibitively expensive." Henry Aaron, a Brookings Institution economist, said, "Because of the increasing per-capita spending on health care, the costs of losing insurance are greater than they were 15 years ago." The number of unemployed U.S. residents has increased by 3.6 million since the recession started in December 2007. According to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation's Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, there are nearly 48 million uninsured U.S. residents, and that number would increase by about one million if the unemployment rate -- currently at 7.2% -- reaches 8%.
Some experts say that the economic stimulus package supported by congressional Democrats "would significantly enhance options for the unemployed and their families through insurance subsidies and a possible expansion of Medicaid," Kaiser Health News/Post reports. The plan, which the House approved last week, would subsidize 65% of the cost of COBRA premiums. COBRA allows unemployed individuals to stay on an employer's health plan so long as they pay the entire cost of the coverage plus an administrative fee. The bill also would allow people ages 55 and older, or those who have worked for a company for 10 years, to keep COBRA coverage until they are eligible for Medicare or find a new job.
The article features the experiences of several uninsured patients seeking care through a clinic lottery in Arlington, Va. (Fairhall/Steadman, Kaiser Health News/Washington Post, 2/3).
This story was produced through a collaboration between the Washington Post and Kaiser Health News. KHN is an independent news service that provides coverage of the policy and politics of health care. KHN is a service of the Kaiser Family Foundation. This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
