Three Utahns Per Week Die Without Health Insurance
Apr 08, 2008 by Elizabeth Ziegler
(KCPW News) Three Utahns die each week because they don't have health insurance, according to a study released Tuesday by Families USA. Unveiled just as the state begins to look at market-based health-system reform, the report highlights the relatively high rate of uninsured Utahns.
"In terms of the frequency of people dying due to a lack of health insurance, on the one hand, it is somewhat lower because the population of Utah is smaller than the population in many other states across the country. In another sense, it's higher, because it has a higher percentage of its population who are uninsured," says Families USA Executive Director Ron Pollack.
The entire southwest region leads the country in the rate of people who don't have health insurance, he says. In Utah, 19.4 percent of working-age adults don't have health coverage. According to the report, this caused 150 deaths in 2006, and 800 deaths over the six previous years. Pollack says this is due to the fact that, compared to other states in the U.S., Utah tends to have more small businesses, fewer unions, and more stringent eligibility requirements for Medicaid and other state-funded health care programs. While Utah lawmakers are focusing on a market-driven approach to health-system reform, Pollack says they should also consider expanding state-funded safety net programs.
We're going to need a solution that involves some improvements in the public sector such as strengthening the safety net programs, like Medicaid and the state Children's Health Insurance Program, as well as solutions in the private sector," Pollack says. "I think it's that kind of a balanced approach that's more likely to break the logjam that's existed for many years."
Pollack says private sector improvements, such as looking at the way states regulate private health insurance companies would be very helpful. For example, he says states can regulate health insurance companies to offer patients with pre-existing conditions affordable health insurance premiums, and offer tax credits and other incentives to small businesses in order to promote health coverage for their workers. A link to the study is available here.
Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW
1. Cliff said:
I would like to see the number of those people who die, who have insurance, who see their doctors, and then ignore their doctor's advice - continue to smoke, over eat, and generally have unhealthy life habits. (I am sure it is far greater than the number quoted in the news article)
Not getting health care in America is sort of like being homeless...yes, there are a few unfortunate souls out there that had a series of bad luck and unfortunate circumstances that rendered them homeless, but by and large, if they seek to improve their circumstances, they can. Health care is a similiar. Every community has health resources for those who have no or little money - getting people to seek those resources is another story, however.
2. Anonymous said:
Over 200 Utahs died each week with health insurance (2006). Wow! How could that be? With 2.5M Utahns, unfortunately people die.
Does that mean we should all dump health insurance and fewer would die? No. Does that mean either the medical industry or the insurance industries are trying to kill us faster because we have insurance? No.
Enough with the inane, meaningless stories.
What matters is (1) does a person live a health lifestyle, (2) does a person get preventative treatment when appropriate, and (3) does a person get other medical treatment when necessary? Having insurance isn't necessary for any of these, but it may be beneficial for #3.