Surgery News - October 2008 - (Page 8)

8 S U R G E R Y NEWS • O C T O B E R 2 0 0 8 THE VISION Evolutionary Changes in Surgical Practice Uninsured Rate Dipped Lower in 2007, to 15.3% B Y M A RY E L L E N S C H N E I D E R 20/20 Else vier Global Medical Ne ws T he number of Americans without health insurance coverage dropped to 45.7 million in 2007, down from 47 million in 2006, mainly because of increased enrollment in government-funded health insurance programs, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The percentage of uninsured Americans fell from 15.8% in 2006 to 15.3% in 2007. The Census data also showed that fewer U.S. children went without health insurance in 2007. The number of uninsured children fell from 8.7 million in 2006 (11.7%) to 8.1 million in 2007 (11%). The new figures come from the Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey. Census officials are still researching why the number of uninsured Americans has decreased, but the data points toward increased enrollment in government-funded health insurance programs. For example, the number of Americans covered by private health insurance stayed about the same at 202 million, but the number covered by government health insurance program rose to 83 million from 80.3 million in 2006. There were statistically significant increases in the percentage of people covered by both Medicare and Medicaid. The number of people with Medicare coverage increased from 40.3 million (13.6%) in 2006 to 41.4 million (13.8%) in 2007, and the number enrolled in Medicaid increased from 38.3 million (12.9%) in 2006 to 39.6 million (13.2%) in 2007. “The expansion in public coverage is really what’s driving this reduction,” said Len Nichols, Ph.D., an economist and director of the health policy program The organization is a nonpartisan coaliat the New America Foundation, a non- tion focused on achieving coverage for all Americans. partisan public policy institute. Even though the number of uninAs the economy has weakened, more sured Americans declined people who previously in 2007, the percentage of could not afford private covindividuals who were able erage became eligible for to obtain either employerpublic programs. The pubbased or individual coverlic programs safety net has age also dropped. If the curcaught these individuals, rent economic downturn Dr. Nichols said, but more continues, safety net proand more people will drift grams like Medicaid will be into government-sponsored vulnerable to state-level coverage if health care rebudget cuts, he said, and form remains stalled. ‘The expansion in A careful analysis of the public coverage is could be unable to keep up with demand. Census figures shows that really what’s The latest uninsured figthe private health insurance driving this ures highlight the need to system in the United States reduction’ in the shore up the employeris “hanging on by its finuninsured rate. based health insurance sysgernails,” Dr. Nichols said, DR. NICHOLS tem, said Karen Davis, and is in need of reform. Worrisome trends in the Census data Ph.D., president of the Commoncould cause the number of uninsured wealth Fund. Policy makers need to Americans to go back up in the near fu- find ways to make coverage more afture, said Mark A. Goldberg, senior fordable for employers who want to ofvice president for policy and strategy at fer it to their workers and for individuthe National Coalition on Health Care. als purchasing their own, she said. ■ Medical Bills: More Than 40% Of Adults Struggle to Pay Biennial Health of working-age Americans are pay surance Survey, nationally represenAgrowing numberstruggling to into monwealth Fundasurvey conductedIntative telephone in their medical bills or have gone debt because of high medical expenses, according to a new report from the Commonwealth Fund. In 2007, 41% of U.S. adults aged younger than 65 years reported having medical bill problems or medical debt, compared with 34% in 2005. The problem is growing across all income groups but is most common among low- and moderate-income individuals, where more than half reported being unable to pay their medical bills, being contacted by a collection agency about an unpaid medical bill, significantly changing their way of life to pay a medical bill, or paying off medical debt over time. As health care costs have risen, employers have struggled to provide employee health insurance, leading some to drop coverage or increase employee cost sharing, said Sara R. Collins, Ph.D., lead author of the report and assistant vice president at the Commonwealth Fund. At the same time, most Americans are facing relatively stagnant wages and rising prices for other necessities such as food and gas, Dr. Collins said during a press briefing to release the report. The findings are based on the Com2001, 2003, 2005, and 2007. The 2007 data come from an analysis of survey responses from 2,616 adults aged under 65 obtained between June and October 2007. Of the 28% of working-age adults who were paying off medical debt over time in 2007, nearly a quarter of them owed $4,000 or more. The debt burden was higher among uninsured individuals. About 34% of adults who were uninsured at the time of the survey reported owing $4,000 or more in medical bills, compared with 20% of those who were insured. Part of the problem is that both insured and uninsured Americans are spending more out of pocket for their care, according to the report. For example, in 2007, 48% of Americans aged 19-64 years spent 5% or more of their income annually on out-of-pocket costs and premiums, up from 41% in 2001. And 33% of working-age Americans spent 10% or more annually on these out-of-pocket medical expenses, compared with 21% in 2001. —Mary Ellen Schneider The report is available at www.commonwealthfund.org. http://www.commonwealthfund.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Surgery News - October 2008

Surgery News - October 2008 Contents Call to Action Issued to Support DVT, PE Prevention Protocol Changes May Increase Donor Organs CMS Targets 2011 for Switch to ICD-10 Opinion: Election 2008 The 20/20 Vision: Children's Health News From the College: Survival Strategy General Surgery: Innovations

Surgery News - October 2008

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