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The Grim Statistics of Californians Dying for Lack of Health Care Coverage
By Hanh Kim Quach
Health Care Policy Coordinator
Health Access California
California likes to be first at everything. Unfortunately, according to a new series of state-by-state reports by Families USA, we're also first when it comes to deaths due to uninsurance. You can find this sinister stat at Dying for Coverage in California.
They show that:
• Every day, more than eight Californias die due to lack of coverage;
• In 2006, 3,100 uninsured Californians died;
• Between 2000 and 2006, 19,900 uninsured Californians died.
Other macabre findings include the fact that twice as many people died because they were uninsured than died from homicide. The study augments an early report by the Institute of Medicine, which found 18,000 Americans die annually because of uninsurance.
Why do people die for lack of insurance? Let's see -- in a generic nutshell: They're afraid to go to the doctor because it will cost money. They don't get the proper tests done to make sure they don't have cancer or chronic disease. They don't get the proper prescriptions filled for asthma or diabetes. They get sicker. They feel awful, but are too afraid to seek help because of the cost...then it's too late.
So what to do about this?
Well -- first, we wait about 10 months, according to U.S. Representative Pete Stark of California on a conference call releasing the report this morning. Specifically, we wait 291 days give or take a few hours and minutes to be exact for the departure of our sitting president, who Stark says is the “one individual in the U.S. who has done more to disadvantage people …particularly those with low incomes.’’ Specifically, with respect to regulations on who can qualify for Medicaid (Medi-Cal), expansions of children’s insurance, government negotiation for prescription drugs – you name it.
Next, we laud the seating of either (in no particular order) him or her. And then we see if the federal government stops being a hindrance to state efforts to provide universal coverage to children and expanded access to low-income families and adults. We'll have issues with him and particularly his health plan, which would atomize the health insurance market and to essentially raise taxes -- against his promise to do such -- for every American who receives coverage through work.
Then, we get back to work.
Hanh Kim Quach is the Health Care Policy Coordinator for Health Access California. Before joining the organization, she worked as a journalist for nearly 9 years covering issues in California. Health Access California is a statewide health care consumer advocacy coalition of over 200 groups. This article has also been published on the Health Access Weblog.
Comments
Again, another report validating the need for Universal Health Care with Single Payer financing. SB840 is in Assembly Appropriations and will move to the Assembly floor this year. Gov. Schwarzenegger doesn't seem to care that his constituents are dying because of his inaction. We should recall him as Governor for the same reason that Jeff Denham is being recalled-voting against any measure to alleviate their constituents' suffering. He has done nothing of any significance for the poor and less fortunate in this state. In fact he has proposed cutting services to the neediest. How can they sleep at night?
Posted by: Lynn Huidekoper, RN at April 5, 2008 02:53 AM
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