FAMILIES USA: Group: Lack of insurance costs lives - News

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Mar. 21, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

FAMILIES USA: Group: Lack of insurance costs lives

Nevada's premature deaths in '06 estimated at 290

By SARA SPIVEY
STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU

ON THE WEB
Families USA

WASHINGTON -- More than five people die prematurely in Nevada each week because they lack health insurance, according to a report Thursday by a health advocacy group.

Families USA concluded that at least 290 people in Nevada between the ages of 25 and 64 died in 2006 because of a lack of coverage.

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Uninsured adults are three times more likely to delay seeking medical care. They are diagnosed with disease at a more advanced stage, which is difficult and costly to treat, the group said.

More than 274,000 people in Nevada do not have a health care plan, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

"The human cost of inaction on this issue is going to be more deaths," said Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev. "I've often said that the way we do health care in this country is 'bass ackwards'."

Uninsured people get most of their health care in the emergency room, said Ron Pollack, the group's executive director. They are sick more often, go without needed medication and die earlier than people who are able to get regular care and screenings, he said.

"Our report highlights how our inadequate system of health coverage condemns a large number of Nevadans to an early death simply because they don't have the same access to health coverage as other Nevadans," Pollack said.

People without insurance are 25 percent more likely to die prematurely than those who are covered, based on formulas growing from long-term studies reported in 2002 by the Institute of Medicine. The Urban Institute performed a similar study in 2008.

Families USA factored the percentage into Census Bureau population numbers and the number of people without insurance, and annual death rates broken down by state.

About 47 million Americans, including 8.7 million children, are uninsured, according to a 2007 U.S. Census Bureau report. The Urban Institute found about 137,000 people died from 2000 to 2006 from lack of insurance, including 22,000 people in 2006 alone.

Many Democrats in Congress are in favor of some form of universal health care but believe it will take a change in the White House to accomplish, Berkley said.

"In the long run, it would save billions of dollars of tax money and improve the quality of life," she said.

Both Democratic candidates for president have offered health care plans that combine public and private services, which Pollack said was "very encouraging."

Sen. Barack Obama would enlarge programs like Medicaid, subsidize public or private insurance plans and make health coverage for children mandatory.

Sen. Hillary Clinton has proposed a mandatory program that would enlarge programs like Medicaid and give employers incentives to cover their employees.

Republican candidate Sen. John McCain does not have a universal health care plan. He has proposed strategies to control health care costs, and has suggested tax credits of $2,500 to low-income individuals and $5,000 to families who buy their own coverage.

Nevada can also enact programs to help insure more people, said Bob Fulkerson, the executive director of the Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada.

He suggested programs that would allow employed people with insurance to add an uninsured family or non-family member to their insurance or provide assistance to cover workers at small businesses.

"As long as we have a business-based system we need to help businesses so they can cover their employees," Fulkerson said.

Contact Stephens Washington Bureau reporter Sara Spivey at sspivey@stephensmedia.com or (202) 783-1760.

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Please enter your name Name: Please enter your email Email: Please enter a comment COMMENTS : (word count limit is 300) You have reached the maximum number of words allowed Current Word Count: Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background. Patrick wrote on March 21, 2008 04:31 PM: Employment with benefits is history. I am 48 years old, and have only had one job that offered benefits for a period of time. We would told all the time by management do not use the health benefits because the rates keep increasing. I have worked in the insurance industry also, and again had NO health insurance. The insurance office did give me paid vacation, and a discount on my auto insurance. The insurance broker could not afford to offer any of insurance, besides she was on her husband's insurance policy with his job. One lady in our insurance office was on state assistance because of her serious health issues. I have worked in many retail and service industry jobs, can tell you for a fact most do NOT have any kind of insurance. Companies may imply they offer benefits, but those are only for a few select people. I have worked at government jobs that offered NO benefits because I was considered temporary, or part-time. I am not going to worry any longer, if I have a major illness, hospital can just eat my care cost. I worked three jobs last year, and only earned $12K, went bankrupt trying to become a real estate agent. The banks lost $120K of unsecure debt. Face it folks, jobs do not pay well, do not offer benefits, and that is life. Those with money are going to have to share their wealth or pay a lot of taxes to take care of all us in low paying jobs. Everyone wants everything cheap, cheap may not always be the way to go. Eliza wrote on March 21, 2008 12:34 PM: Oh, please! The assumption that only "illegals" go to the ER for health care is so much bullspit. My Las Vegas native neighbor WITH A FULL TIME JOB doesn't have insurance and the ER is his family's only choice. The fact is that the illegals will more often pay their bills because they do not want to get tagged and deported. And, Bonzy, you sound like every wingnut who claims to be a Christian yet refuses to follow Christ's teachings re taking care of one's fellow man. As I recall, Jesus didn't care where a person came from or their economic status when he sat with them. Only the self-righteous complained... Of course, those who complain the loudest would also be the first in line for any freebies they could get. Does that mean that you will be turning down a Social Security check and Medicare coverage when you retire? You will, after all, get back much more than you put in. Are you entitled to that extra? Should I keep paying for YOUR upkeep? I would believe the numbers because they are based on hard statistics. Compiling means gathering already existing materials and collating them. Who are these people? wrote on March 21, 2008 07:57 AM: Any person who seeks medical attention at a hospital cannot be turned away. So in essence we already are paying for universal health care. What I would like to know is, were any (or all) of those who didn't seek treatment and died, ILLEGALS. That could explain why they didn't seek help. Also, if they were, don't skew the numbers and percentages with them. Every aspect of our country is financially burdened because of ILLEGALS. Nationwide hospitals are closing and communities are facing bankruptcy because ILLEGALS bombard emergendy rooms. Tell us more before we pull out the hankies and shed a tear or take on insurance for all. After all, the taxpayers get stuck either way. William Bonzy wrote on March 21, 2008 07:33 AM: Shelley Berkley, you and all of your democratic friends are "bass ackwards". Health care is not a right. People pay for their health care and if they haven't paid for it through hard work and advancing in America, IT IS NOT THE GOVERNMENT'S JOB TO PAY FOR IT THROUGH TAXING ME TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. ENOUGH SAID. Beside's I don't belive the numbers cause they were done by "An healtcare advocacy group" Which means the samething as socialism group. No Thank You.