Health Care Reform Update: The Problem of Underinsurance
by Alta L. Price, M.D.
The May issue of Consumer Reports has an excellent article entitled “Hazardous health plans: Coverage gaps can leave you in big trouble”. Many people who don’t have health insurance through their job and buy a plan in the individual market don’t realize their insurance is worthless until they get sick and actually need the coverage. According to the article, 14,000 Americans a day lose their job-based coverage, and some of them may be looking for an individual plan for the first time in their lives. Especially if you are in this situation, you need to read the article. In addition to describing the scope of the problem, Consumer Reports tells you what you can do to protect yourself and lists 7 signs that the plan is junk.
For you health care reform activists out there, Consumers Union suggests some common sense insurance reforms to address these problems. It is clear that regulation of insurance companies will have to be part of health care reform. I am not sure how much of that needs to happen on the state level, although I suspect if the federal government were to subsidize insurance premiums, it would have the power to make these regulations.
Speaking about state level efforts, yesterday I attended a press conference in Moline, Illinois called by AARP Illinois about a health insurance reform bill they are supporting. The Health Insurance Consumer Protection Act (HB3923) passed the Illinois House and will soon be considered in the Illinois Senate. Any Illinois citizens reading this might want to contact AARP’s Health Care Hotline (1-800-664-9903), to help connect you with your State Senators – urging them to pass the Health Insurance Consumer Protection Act.
Alta
Price is a physician practicing Pathology in Davenport, Iowa. One of
the original Deaniacs, she stays involved with Democracy for America,
Iowa, and the Quad Cities. She advocates for quality, affordable health
care for all, primarily as a volunteer with Progressive Action for the
Common Good (Health Care Reform Issue Forum).
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