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The Business of Health Care Report
Today, I'd like to continue our
discussion about health care and the issues affecting it - with a focus on the
uninsured problem. About 15 percent of this country's
citizens are uninsured, and Texas has the dubious distinction of having the most
uninsured residents - per capita - of any state in the union at a staggering 24 percent. The ramifications of such large
numbers of uninsured Americans sends shock waves throughout health care. People with
no insurance tend to put off seeking health care until their conditions deteriorate.
Then, when their illness or disability gives them no choice, they often seek care at
hospital emergency departments, contributing to problems of overcrowding, adding to
the cost of their care, and straining hospital finances. While income is a factor - 80
percent of uninsured Americans have incomes well below poverty level - the majority
live in households where at least one family member has a job. That statistic is
misleading, however, since 80 percent of those people have jobs that don't offer
health coverage. This group commonly is referred
to as the working uninsured and poses the biggest challenge. Most have no ongoing
physician relationship; they pay cash or use credit cards; or use hospital emergency
departments for episodic care, which may or may not get paid for. Younger workers and students,
who no longer are covered through their parents' insurance or who believe they don't
need health coverage, contribute to the swelling uninsured ranks. As do self-employed
workers, who often can't afford individual, family or small group coverage. While the circumstances for the
growing number of uninsured Americans are varied, the end result is simple. Until
something changes, other efforts to improve health care will be done with one arm
tied behind our backs. For Texas Health Resources
and its family of hospitals - Harris Methodist Hospitals, Presbyterian
Healthcare System and Arlington Memorial Hospital - I'm CEO
Doug Hawthorne
with "The Business of Health Care Report" on NewsRadio 1080 KRLD.
©
2004 Texas Health Resources |
I'm Doug Hawthorne, President and CEO of Texas Health Resources, with
"The Business of Health Care Report" on 