Daily News Updates - Health Insurance News

Health Care – Anybody Care?, Pt.2 – Who cares?

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As far as universal health insurance/care coverage, this still doesn’t come into focus. Its more like the fear of “us” becoming one of “them”. Band aids are quickly applied to the fear of losing health insurance with articles from Redbook, or selections referencing the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation highlighting appealing intervals from the middle class like small business owners; white middle class and one token minority. Award-wining articles like Redbook’s "Increasingly, this is a problem for the middle class." Leave the widespread public with the indelible impression “Oh, it’s not so bad. At least I have health insurance.”

The problem with this band aid is that, of course, the segment addressed is the smallest part of the equation, only 13% of those without health insurance. By far, those least represented are the main event. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the unrepresented segment, the poor or near poor, represent two-thirds of the picture. Mr. Millenson goes on with more clarity, sharing that this, nearly 50 million-strong picture of those without health insurance is “36 percent of Hispanics, 33 percent of Native Americans, 22 percent of blacks and 17 percent of Asians/Pacific Islanders.” This becomes a political problem, as well. If this 13% segment were switched with the 66% segment, all parties would jump on the opportunity to secure political clout and “carve-out” a tangible remedy. But, without a radical vision to wake up the public, our country’s legislatures remain stalemated and the best they can offer is “a constantly recycled set of excuses,” as Mr. Millenson phrases it.

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