‘NewsHour’ Examines Experiences of Newly Unemployed Who Have Lost Health Insurance
PBS' "NewsHour" on Wednesday examined how the number of newly uninsured U.S. residents is increasing as more people lose their jobs. In the segment, NewsHour correspondent Betty Anne Bowser speaks with residents of Bridgeport, Conn., where the unemployment rate has reached double digits, "making it one of the hardest-hit cities in the country." Bowser reports, "Most of the people who've lost their jobs have also lost their health insurance. So every day, more and more of the unemployed are being forced to turn to the government for health care through Medicaid."
Bowser interviewed several people who participated in a Kaiser Family Foundation focus group on Medicaid about how their lives have changed since they became unemployed and lost their health coverage. According to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation's Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, for every one point rise in the U.S. unemployment rate, the number of uninsured is projected to increase by 1.1 million people.
Bowser reports that "most of the time people can't afford" to continue their employer-sponsored health plans through COBRA, which requires former workers to pay 102% of the cost of coverage. The residents also spoke about changes they have made to their daily lives because of finances, including forgoing medications or not paying bills. Bowser also interviewed the residents about their experiences applying for Medicaid and their ability to find new employment in the current job market (Bowser, "NewsHour," PBS, 2/11).
