Get facts straight when talking reform
People are commenting on health care who have not done their homework. Misinformation is being spread that is motivated by politics and not what is good for America. Lets look at the facts.
Presently more than 47 million Americans are without health care. Close to 20 percent of all Americans under the age of 65 are uninsured.
The Urban Institute projects nearly 7 million Americans will lose their health insurance coverage between 2008 and 2010. They further predict if unemployment reaches 10 percent, another 6 million will lose their insurance coverage. It is conceivable that by next year, 57 to 60 million Americans will be uninsured.
A recent Harvard study stated over half of all bankruptcies are caused by medical bills. More than 75 percent of these had insurance coverage at the start of their bankrupting illness, and most occurred in middle class families.
Insurances policies today have high deductibles, co-pays, and many illness exclusions. Of those Americans who do have insurance, more than half are seriously underinsured.
Dr. David Himmelstein, author of the Harvard study commented: Unless you're Bill Gates you're just one serious illness away from bankruptcy."
Our present health care system is the most expensive in the world but performs so poorly it is rated only 33rd among all health care systems. One third of every dollar is spent for insurance bureaucracy and profits, by far the highest ratio of health care overhead in the world.
This past week a TV morning show did a story on the 1,200 free clinics operating in America where citizens with no insurance can go for treatment. People were shown waiting in long lines. Last year these clinics treated 4 million Americans. They are expected to treat 8 million this year.
It's a crying shame the richest country in the world has come to this.
R.P. Harrison
Elk Grove Village