Archive for the 'Health Care news - national' Category

Who’s uninsured in 2007? It’s more than just the poor

Friday, March 16th, 2007

By Julie Appleby, USA TODAY

Susan Squire lost her health benefits in 2000 when her company downsized and she was laid off. A few years later, she had a heart attack — leaving her with a $92,000 hospital bill.

Dianne Stewart, who once had a six-figure income and health insurance benefits as an advertising saleswoman, now relies on the generosity of a group of doctors in her town near Charlotte for low-cost medical care.

Joe Cesa, owner of a Philadelphia coffee shop, put a $3,000 emergency room bill on his credit card when he accidentally cut off the tip of his thumb. He can’t afford insurance for himself or his employees.

While each of their backgrounds is different, all have one thing in common: Through choices, circumstance, bad luck — or a combination of all — they are among the more than 46 million people in the USA, nearly 16% of the population, who lack health insurance.

[Link]

www.usbank.com [Link]


 

ID requirements hurting Americans

Tuesday, March 13th, 2007
Washington - A new federal rule intended to keep illegal immigrants from receiving Medicaid has instead shut out tens of thousands of U.S. citizens who have had difficulty complying with requirements to show birth certificates and other proof-of-citizenship documents, state officials say.
Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Ohio and Virginia have all reported declines in enrollment and traced them to the new federal requirement, which comes just as state officials around the country are striving to expand coverage through Medicaid and other means.
[Link - Denver Post]