Medical Debt

[dropkickpa]

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/118964.php

Or Problems Paying Medical Bills Experienced By 79 Million US Adults

The high cost of care and inadequate insurance is leading more adults to delay or avoid getting treatment. Working-age Americans are spending more of their income on out-of-pocket costs.

The proportion of working-age Americans who have medical bill problems or who are paying off medical debt climbed from 34 percent to 41 percent between 2005 and 2007, bringing the total to 72 million, according to recent survey findings from the Commonwealth Fund. In addition, 7 million adults age 65 and over also had problems paying medical bills, for a total of 79 million adults with medical bill problems or medical debt.

In a new Commonwealth Fund report about the survey findings, Losing Ground: How the Loss of Adequate Health Insurance is Burdening Working Families, the authors describe how working-age adults are becoming more exposed to the rising costs of health care, either because they have lost insurance through their jobs or because they are paying more out of pocket for their health care. This combination of factors, along with sluggish growth in average family incomes, is contributing to problems with medical bills and cost-related delays in getting needed health care.

The report finds that in 2007, nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults under age 65, or 116 million people, had medical bill problems or debt, went without needed care because of cost, were uninsured for a time, or were underinsured - insured but had high out-of-pocket medical expenses or deductibles relative to income.

This is absolutely shameful. Two thirds of US adults, it's just a staggering number.

[dropkickpa]

1. Funny, I've seen all sorts of moaning about medical costs

Doesn't anyone have any opinions on this?

[MountainLaurel]

2. Perhaps it's that everyone agrees with the article

That there's not much they can add. They're just nodding their heads or thinking "No shit, Sherlock."

Me, I can totally relate to that article. I know people who are one medical disaster from financial ruin. My brother has been working for the same company for 5 years, but it doesn't offer health insurance. At one point, I was spending a fifth of my monthly pay to hold on to my COBRA benefits (unable to find a full-time position).

I think that the government of the United States should be ASHAMED that its people do not have access to health care.

[dropkickpa]

3. But I think it would be appropriate to debate

whether the presidential candidates plans REALLY address this.

My questions about the single payer is that Obama's plan states that even if we already have insurance, our premiums would be lower. I have a fantastic healthplan (I'm very lucky, I know) that costs me $123/month to cover Dropkid and myself, I just don't see how it could go lower than that. I think requiring all plans to meet a minimum standard is also a good thing, as the article points out it's not just the uninsured going under, it's those who are underinsured. Will the plan insure that those who aren't covered by private plans get the same quality of service and accessibility as those private plans (I think my plan would actually be a good model, they are also a medicaid provider that is VERY good, I was on it before I started working for my current employer)?

I want to know exactly how much he's going to improve support for biomedical research. It's been so gutted by the Bush admin and congress that there is a LOT of lost ground to be made up.

I was uninsured for quite a while, and most of my immediate family is uninsured, and that scares the bejeezus outta me.

[LeftishBrit]

4. This is really horrifying.

Everyone should have the right to healthcare, without needing to worry if they can afford it.

We are luckier in our system in Britain- but it's constantly getting eroded.

[mhatrw]

5. Agreed. The situation is insane. n/t

[cosmik debris]

6. This may not be as important as the current moral crusade

against the "sex vaccine", but to those of us who are not on a moral crusade, this is important information.

[dropkickpa]

7. In part, one has to do with the other

Part of what they note is that people are forgoing regular medical care, it'll affect the stuff-that-shall-not-be-named.

Skipping or not being able to afford regular routine care has already been proven to have an impact, not only on that person's health but on everyone. Long waits in ER's is one that pops instantly to mind.

[beam me up scottie]

8. Add me to the list.

And my 35 year old friend, who had to undergo a total hysterectomy because she developed cervical cancer and didn't realize it until it was too late.
She had been without medical insurance for five years and didn't get screened.