Rate of Underinsured Continues to Increase
A report published by the Commonwealth Fund notes that the number of Americans without adequate health insurance continues to rise. As well, more Americans have coverage but will not be able to keep up if the cost for medical care continues to rise. The organization’s study was published in Health Affairs.
The report notes that approximately 25 million people between ages 19 and 64 in the U.S. did not have adequate coverage in the case of serious illness to prevent financial hardship. The rate of underinsurance has significantly increased since 2003, estimated at 16 million at that time. That rate has risen more than 60 percent between 2003 and 2007.
Authors of the report note that the current healthcare debate across the U.S. must also consider underinsurance. The group with the highest increase in underinsurance are middle class families. The coverage for those individuals still requires them to pay out about ten percent of their total income. This is particularly true for those individuals who purchase their own policies and those employed by small companies.
Data presented indicates that the underinsured face many of the challenges as the uninsured. For example, both of these groups are less likely to utilize healthcare, both necessary and preventive care. The underinsured are twice as likely not to see specialists or fill prescriptions as those with better coverage.
Some companies are stepping up to the plate by offering additional coverage to patients with chronic health conditions. Pitney Bowes, for example, decreased co-pays for asthma medications, as detailed in the New York Times. These efforts help reduce the likelihood of hospitalization.
The Commonwealth report notes the importance of considering the increasing cost of healthcare, to diminish the burden on the underinsured. It also considers the importance of quality of insurance coverage. The effort in Massachusetts, for example, has focused on both considerations since implementation of the universal coverage plan.
June 11, 2008 Related topics: Trends, Quality, Safety, Errors, Industry & Market