WASHINGTON – Families USA’s report, “Dying for Coverage,” highlighted how inadequate healthcare condemns people to an early death and a lack of healthcare is a matter of life and death, said executive director Ron Pollack.
While the report does not propose any solutions, he said national leadership and state and federal government partnerships can reverse this trend.
The report focused on one issue: how many people die because of a lack of health insurance.
Other serious consequences include impaired health as a result of not getting timely care and the cost of uncompensated care being passed on to the insured in the form of higher premiums. In 2005, the average premium per family was $10,979, but $922 of that total comprised the amount paid for the uninsured’s care.
The Southwest region, which includes Texas and California, has the highest rate of non-insured people. Pollack cited three key factors: A larger proportion of businesses are small businesses, which are least likely to provide health insurance; unionization rate is lower; and safety-net coverage is less generous than in other states because eligibility standards are lower.
Because the uninsured get their care in the emergency room, which is costly, Pollack said, “Preventative care has got to be a top priority.”
Pollack noted that while efforts to regulate insurance rates have not been successful, some states are trying to cap a portion of premium dollars used outside the provision of care.