Daily News Updates - Health Insurance News

Mr. McCain’s Definition of ‘Best Coverage’, Pt.4 – The failure of ‘high-risk’ pools.

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Perhaps the most important of the health insurance issues concerns the completely destitute. These are people who couldn’t help themselves no matter what they do. They are the ‘un-insurable’ segment of Americans who are ‘denied’ health insurance because of chronic and pre-existing conditions. Some Americans are so ‘blind’ that they fail to realize that these people really exist. Were they physically blind, they would be much wiser. Those people do exist, and in the millions. In fact, survey results indicate that as many as a third of the 45.7 million Americans with no health insurance are chronic cases. This could be as many as 15 million Americans (33% of 45.7 million). In addition, the most recent US Census data has found that between 18,000 and 22,000 more Americans die each year for lack of health insurance. Likely, many of these were denied coverage at a stage where they could have lived long and fruitful lives. Who would ignore the need, when faced with death?

Mr. McCain acknowledges this plight and has provided a scant amount of detail. He suggested introducing regulations to mandate (‘require’) health insurance providers to ‘offer more’ coverage to these people. Two key questions are critical here. What is ‘require’ and what is ‘offer more’? Is there a commitment to ‘adequate and affordable’? This is critical. There have been suggestions that Mr. McCain is referring to ‘high-risk’ pools. He has not denied these suggestions. Americans need to understand the significance here. ‘High-risk’ pools have been around for a long time, now. They have been dismal failure for 90% of the people who need them. This is the concensus of the high-level administrators over-seeing these programs. Health insurance for the chronic is essential, but today’s ‘high-risk pools’ simply don’t work for 90% of those in need. For a very good understanding of the shortcomings of ‘high-risk pools’, please refer to the article series entitled “Those Worst Off”.

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