Uninsured and Underinsured in America
Uninsured and Underinsured in America
By
Audra Wellington
PBHE 502
Abstract
In America, we not only have the problem of the non-insured but the under insured which causes just about as much problem as the underinsured. Each group has contributed to the vast growing cost of healthcare. Over the last decade or two, the amount of uninsured has risen due to the job market in the economy and the fact that most insurances are tied to employment, which is also a problem as the unemployment rate rises. The purpose of this paper is to explore this issue.
Under insured people can be defined as “people who are insured all year but have one of the following qualifiers: Medical expenses greater than ten percent of annual income; an annual income less than two hundred percent of the poverty level and medical expenses greater than five percent of annual income and health plan deductibles equal to or greater than five percent of annual income” (Nunley, 2008). According to Nunley (2008), several factors contribute to the underinsured. This might include but are not limited to the unemployment rate that rises every year and low-income wage earners. There are barriers to the Medicaid/Medicare coverage that might be an asset to the underinsured. Event he more insured people of America may find it hard to access health care due to limited medical professionals available in their area. They may also be burdened with overbearing cost sharing with the employer-based insurance plans. The cost sharing can be burdensome to families that are just making enough to survive. These cost sharing plans do not adjust for lack of income. Patients that have little or no health insurance face many difficulties accessing quality care. The drive is to make people more health conscious consumers of health care and therefore if a patient is cost sharing then they will be more apt to
By
Audra Wellington
PBHE 502
Abstract
In America, we not only have the problem of the non-insured but the under insured which causes just about as much problem as the underinsured. Each group has contributed to the vast growing cost of healthcare. Over the last decade or two, the amount of uninsured has risen due to the job market in the economy and the fact that most insurances are tied to employment, which is also a problem as the unemployment rate rises. The purpose of this paper is to explore this issue.
Under insured people can be defined as “people who are insured all year but have one of the following qualifiers: Medical expenses greater than ten percent of annual income; an annual income less than two hundred percent of the poverty level and medical expenses greater than five percent of annual income and health plan deductibles equal to or greater than five percent of annual income” (Nunley, 2008). According to Nunley (2008), several factors contribute to the underinsured. This might include but are not limited to the unemployment rate that rises every year and low-income wage earners. There are barriers to the Medicaid/Medicare coverage that might be an asset to the underinsured. Event he more insured people of America may find it hard to access health care due to limited medical professionals available in their area. They may also be burdened with overbearing cost sharing with the employer-based insurance plans. The cost sharing can be burdensome to families that are just making enough to survive. These cost sharing plans do not adjust for lack of income. Patients that have little or no health insurance face many difficulties accessing quality care. The drive is to make people more health conscious consumers of health care and therefore if a patient is cost sharing then they will be more apt to
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