Reasons for healthcare reform

Editor:

Some have questioned why we need healthcare reform.

But the facts are staggering. Right now, 46 million Americans do not have health insurance. This number has increased 8 million since 2000 and now 14,000 people a day are losing their insurance. At this rate, 5 million more Americans will lose health insurance this year.

The majority of those without insurance are native or naturalized citizens.

More than 80 percent come from working families.

But a third of all U.S. businesses do not offer their employees coverage. Even if employees are offered coverage, they often can't afford their portion of the premium. And if you lose your job, only 7 percent of those unemployed can afford to pay for COBRA health insurance. COBRA coverage typically averages $700 per month for a family and $250 for an individual.

There is an enormous toll to the growing number of uninsured Americans. Uninsured receive less preventive care, are diagnosed at more advanced diseases stages, and once diagnosed, have higher mortality rates. Studies estimate there are 18,000 unnecessary deaths per year among uninsured.

Yet, the U.S. spends $100 billion per year to provide uninsured residents with health services, often for preventable diseases. Hospitals provide about $34 billion worth of uncompensated care each year. Another $37 billion is paid by private and public payers for health services for the uninsured and $26 billion is paid out-of-pocket by those without coverage.

If you think healthcare reform will be too expensive, guess what? We're already paying, but not in a way that helps provide timely care or saves lives. We should all get behind President Obama's efforts to move this critical issue forward. It's important and it's time.

For statistics and information about health coverage, there is reliable information available online through the Henry J. Kaiser Foundation, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Coalition on Health Care.

Philip Bellman, MPH

Markleeville