Report: More NJ residents lack health insurance

 

Wednesday, Apr 08,2009, 11:51:49 AM   Click:

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NEWARK, NJ_New Jersey residents have more difficulty paying for health insurance, an advocacy group said Tuesday.

The report by Families USA, a liberal advocacy group based in Washington, DC, is as policymakers on the Federal health care reform.

"The number of people without health coverage in New Jersey is worse than an epidemic," said Pollack, executive director of Families USA.

"Almost all members of the nation had a family member, neighbor or friend who was not insured _ and therefore the health care reform meaning can no longer be kept at the rear plan, "he said.

The report indicates that 32 percent of New Jerseyans under 65 were uninsured at some point in 2007 and 2008, against 26 per cent in 1999 and 2000.

Families USA estimates that 33 percent of all Americans under 65 were without health care in 2007 and 2008. Hispanics are the group most likely to be uninsured during the study period.

Pollack credited recession with rising job losses with the number of uninsured and said that the problem can not be expected to worsen as times get tough.

New Jersey, one of the most expensive to live in states, has a median household income for a family of four $ 94,441, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.


Families USA said that 81 percent of New Jersey 2.4 million uninsured residents were members of working families and 60 percent of those with a family income of $ 42,400 or less had no coverage.

Dr. J. Richard Goldstein, president of the Trenton, New Jersey-based Council of Teaching Hospitals, said the report "astonishing". He estimated that the unpaid bills of state hospitals cost more than $ 1.4 billion per year.

Five acute care hospitals on bankruptcy and three closed last year, leaving 74 in the state.

"The reason hospitals are closing, is that the status of reimbursement of care and charity Medicaid are too little," said Goldstein.

Medical costs have claimed an increasing share of household budgets in recent years, Pollack said. It is a good chance reform will take place this year since President Barack Obama has made his priority, he said.

"These figures were very high even before we in a recession," said Pollack of the percentage of uninsured Americans.

The Families USA report is based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, as well as a survey of medical expenses used by the Agency for research and quality health care. Those who were uninsured in 2007 and 2008 have been counted only once.