More Working People Go Without health coverage as insurance

 

Wednesday, Mar 25,2009, 11:09:09 AM   Click:

Copyright: PR Newswire
Source: PR Newswire
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What happened in each state since the federal health reform in 1994 is chronicled in a debate by state released during the analysis of coverage Uninsured Week '

PRINCETON, NJ, March 24 / PRNewswire-USNewswire / - With Congress and the Obama administration to discuss how to reform the nation's health care system, a new report examines what has happened since the last major reform has ended in 1994 without the Action Congress. The analysis of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) documents the deteriorating scenario runs since:

- At national level, nearly 9 million Americans are uninsured.

- Six million more people working are not insured in the United States.

- Nationwide, the average cost paid by an employee for an individual health insurance premium increased by almost eight times faster than the average income of the United States.

- The percentage of nonelderly people with private health insurance fell by only 67 percent, down six percentage points nationally.

"The case of the reform could not be clearer," said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, MBA, President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "Continued inaction means that costs rise, companies struggle, workers and bystanders. As high as the number of people seem to be uninsured, they are not even take into account the current crisis with millions of Americans losing their jobs, which puts their insurance status at risk. And the more people who are uninsured, the harder it is to our health care system. "


The report - At the Brink: Trends in America 1994-2007 Uninsured - chronic state by state health coverage trends. Over the past 15 years, nearly every state has increased the number of uninsured residents, higher costs for workers while their incomes are flat, and significant erosion of private coverage. The report was developed through access to health care data Assistance Center (SHADAC) at the University of Minnesota. Researchers from the average of data from the U.S. Census Bureau from 1994-1996 and compared with the average figures for 2006-2007. The report states:

- More Americans are uninsured. Nationally, the total number of uninsured grew by nearly 9 million, to 45.7 million. Across the United States, 22 percent of men are not insured, up 19 percent, 18 percent of women are uninsured, up 16 percent.

- More workers are not insured. Nationally, the number of uninsured adults has increased by more than 6 million, to 26.9 million. Currently, nearly one fifth of adults (18 percent) is not assured.

- More children have insurance. Nationally, the rate of uninsured children fell by 13 percent, to $ 9.2 million, which experts attribute to more children are covered by insurance programs like Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

- Fewer people have private health insurance. Nationally, the percentage of nonelderly people who have private insurance fell to 67 percent, down 73 percent. Alaska, North Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and have all seen the percentage of private insurance erode residents of 10 percent or more.

- Workers insurance costs have risen much faster than revenues. Average cost of a policy of insurance has increased by 61 percent - from $ 2560 in 1996 to $ 4118 in 2006. Nationally, the amount employees pay for a politician rose 79 percent, with wages increasing in the United States only 10 per cent during the period.

"The rising cost of health care has been widely supported by workers who do not receive because of it raises and the employers who are seeing these costs eat into their profit margins," said Lavizzo-Mourey . Cassé fixing our health care system is essential to fixing the economy, but it will not happen overnight and it will not be easy. Fortunately, many people working together this time - government and business, doctors and patients, Democrats and Republicans - so that we can achieve genuine reform. When all Americans have access to affordable health care, everyone will benefit. "

The report to the state data is to be released during the week of coverage of the uninsured, a campaign organized by RWJF apolitical advocate for health coverage for all Americans. Now in its seventh year, the week of coverage of the uninsured (March 22-28) became the most important, the impartiality mobilization in history seeking solutions for the millions of Americans who are not insured. Thousands of people will participate in the coverage of events for the Week of uninsured across the country.