Daily News Updates - Health Insurance News

Journal on McCain’s Health Plan, Pt.5 – Obama and focusing on the crises.

Previous...

Mr. Obama was not left completely unscathed in these findings. It was projected that his plan would probably only lower the 45.7 million number of uninsured by 18 million people through 2009. By 2018, his plan, if left unmodified, would have only reduced the uninsured number by 34 million. This falls short of covering all 45.7 million. This, however was never his goal. Mr. Obama’s goal was to make Health insurance available, knowing that millions of Americans would still refuse even free health insurance for religious and other miscellaneous reasons, as they did in the Massachusetts health insurance model.

Conceding to the ideal condition where all 45.7 million would avidly choose health insurance, Mr. Obama’s unmodified plan would come up short by 26% of achieving universal health insurance coverage. Still, this is very commendable, considering that no other ‘official’ plan has come anywhere close. Of course, minor adjustments should be a given, with any large undertaking of something that’s never been done before.

It seems obvious there is not much substance in Mr. McCain’s health insurance/care proposal when considering that the real problem is the crises of 45.7 million uninsured Americans. This issue needs to be a top on the list agenda.

Another top-list item needs to be the destitute Americans who are denied health insurance because of chronic and pre-existing conditions. It is estimated that about one third of the 45.7 figure are such cases. Likely, most of the 18,000 to 22,000 Americans who die each year for lack of coverage, are also in this group

One last priority needs to include the 27 million Americans with inadequate health insurance. It has been determined by the most respected experts that for many in this group, even though they do have coverage, it is so inadequate they are deemed to be in worse shape than those who have no coverage at all.