If you're like me, your inbox is flooded with messages imploring you to support federal health care reform. The question is, what's actually going on? I'm not so sure. There are suggestions coming out of various Congressional committees about what health care reform would include. Some basic ideas? Reduce costs, provide more choices to consumers, and create a public option that would allow people to opt into the Congressional plan. In fact, lots of compromises are being considered right now that would turn "health care reform" into "more of the same".
So, we offer you our upcoming series about what's going on, what's being considered, and what you can do about it. Stay tuned for more.
Today's topic? Why we need health care reform!
Well, I'm sure you already know. Recent data shows that nearly 46 million Americans have no insurance, and another 25 million more are underinsured. Ever been denied care because of a preexisting condition? Or lost care because you lost or changed jobs? Ever stayed with a job you hated for the health insurance? Or spent hours trying to figure out what you owe, whether you owe, why you owe? Or worse?
The United States spends 52% more per person on health care than the next biggest spender (Norway). And for all that money, still not everyone is covered for even basic services. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD) estimates that, in the United States, every person spends on average $6,714 for health
care. That's significantly higher than in the United Kingdom, where
$2,760 per person is spent; or in France, where the cost is $3,449 per
person; or in Canada, where medical costs are $3,678 per person.
And yet for all the money we're spending, our outcomes aren't so good. The United States ranks 50th in life expectancy and 46th in infant mortality (putting us right behind Martinique, Belarus, and Slovakia). And, to top it off, medical debt is a factor in 62% of personal bankruptcies!
Rising (and unpredictable) costs mean many employers no longer offer coverage to their employees, increasing the number of uninsured people daily. And this, of course, raises costs for those who are insured or paying out of pocket because you're picking up the slack for all those other unrecovered costs. Not that you'd be able to decipher what you actually owe, or what your insurance company actually pays for the services you receive. It's all far too complicated since you and your insurance company are billed for far more than they think they'll actually recover.
We've created a system where insurance companies are not accountable to us: the consumers. We're kind of stuck with the plan we have, whether we like it or not (if we have one at all). So much for a "free market". And yet, we don't benefit from the universal coverage a single system provides. Basically, we're kind of screwed.
Thus we come to reform. About time. We do have a Democratic majority elected, in part, to reform the health care system. So, what are they doing? Tune in soon to find out what Obama wants, what proposals are out there, what our own Oregon Senators are pushing for and more.
Nice post. I hope - if you haven't already - that you write about Oregon's reforms. It would be especially useful to give info about Healthy Kids enrollment once it is operational.
Posted by: nonlineargirl | August 08, 2009 at 09:06 PM