2002年美国数百万人失去医疗保障
Washington--NewfiguresfromtheU.S.CensusBureaushowthat2.4millionAmericanswereaddedtotherollsoftheuninsuredin2002,butexpertssayitcouldhavebeenmuchworse.
Thenumberofpeoplelackinghealthcoverageroseto43.6millionin2002,ormorethan15%ofthepopulation.
Thebureau'sreportalsoshowedthat242.2millionAmericanshadhealthinsurancelastyear,up1.5millionfrom2001.ManyAmericanslostprivatecoveragebecauseofjoblossandasurgeinhealthcarecosts.
Theriseinthenumberofuninsuredcouldhavebeenmuchworse,evendoublewhatitwas,hadnotpublicprogramspickedupsomeoftheslack,saidLeightonKu,seniorfellowinhealthpolicyattheCenteronBudgetandPolicyPriorities.EnrollmentinMedicaidandtheStateChildren'sHealthInsuranceProgramrosebynearly4millionlastyear.
Thegrowthinpubliccoveragemeantthatthechangeamongchildrenwithouthealthinsurancewasnotstatisticallysignificantfrom2001to2002intheCensusBureausurvey.
"AlthoughMedicaidcoveragewasabletooffsettheerosioninemployer-sponsoredcoverageformanyfamilies,especiallyforchildren,largegapsremainformanymorefamilies,"saidDianeRowland,executivevicepresidentoftheKaiserFamilyFoundation."However,wemayalsohaveseenthehighpointofMedicaidenrollment."
Morethan15%ofthepopulationisuninsured.
Kusaidtrendssuggestthattheriseintheuninsuredpopulationislikelytocontinuethisyear.ManystatesarecuttingMedicaidtoplugbudgetshortfalls,potentiallymakingitdifficultfortheprogramstocompensateformorelossesintheprivatemarket.
Earlierthisyear,Congressapprovedaninfusionof$10billiontohelpthestateswiththeirbudgetproblems.ThismovehelpedmanystatespostponeeligibilityandotherMedicaidcuts.SimilarmeasurestostabilizestaterevenueswillbenecessaryifMedicaidistocontinuetoabsorbtheuninsured,saidRowland.
SupportersoftheCovertheUninsuredinitiative,ofwhichtheAMAisamajorsponsor,arepushinglawmakersandthepublictoexplorenewsolutions.
ThejumpinthenumberofuninsuredAmericanshasgottensomeattentiononCapitolHill."CongressneedstoshowthesamecommitmenttoaddressingthisproblemasithastodeliveringaprescriptiondrugbenefitinMedicare,"saidSen.CharlesGrassley(R,Iowa),SenateFinanceCommitteechair."There'snoone-size-fits-allsolution,sowehavetolookatalotofdifferentinitiatives."
ByJoelB.Finkelstein,AMNewsstaff.Oct.13,2003., http://www.100md.com
Thenumberofpeoplelackinghealthcoverageroseto43.6millionin2002,ormorethan15%ofthepopulation.
Thebureau'sreportalsoshowedthat242.2millionAmericanshadhealthinsurancelastyear,up1.5millionfrom2001.ManyAmericanslostprivatecoveragebecauseofjoblossandasurgeinhealthcarecosts.
Theriseinthenumberofuninsuredcouldhavebeenmuchworse,evendoublewhatitwas,hadnotpublicprogramspickedupsomeoftheslack,saidLeightonKu,seniorfellowinhealthpolicyattheCenteronBudgetandPolicyPriorities.EnrollmentinMedicaidandtheStateChildren'sHealthInsuranceProgramrosebynearly4millionlastyear.
Thegrowthinpubliccoveragemeantthatthechangeamongchildrenwithouthealthinsurancewasnotstatisticallysignificantfrom2001to2002intheCensusBureausurvey.
"AlthoughMedicaidcoveragewasabletooffsettheerosioninemployer-sponsoredcoverageformanyfamilies,especiallyforchildren,largegapsremainformanymorefamilies,"saidDianeRowland,executivevicepresidentoftheKaiserFamilyFoundation."However,wemayalsohaveseenthehighpointofMedicaidenrollment."
Morethan15%ofthepopulationisuninsured.
Kusaidtrendssuggestthattheriseintheuninsuredpopulationislikelytocontinuethisyear.ManystatesarecuttingMedicaidtoplugbudgetshortfalls,potentiallymakingitdifficultfortheprogramstocompensateformorelossesintheprivatemarket.
Earlierthisyear,Congressapprovedaninfusionof$10billiontohelpthestateswiththeirbudgetproblems.ThismovehelpedmanystatespostponeeligibilityandotherMedicaidcuts.SimilarmeasurestostabilizestaterevenueswillbenecessaryifMedicaidistocontinuetoabsorbtheuninsured,saidRowland.
SupportersoftheCovertheUninsuredinitiative,ofwhichtheAMAisamajorsponsor,arepushinglawmakersandthepublictoexplorenewsolutions.
ThejumpinthenumberofuninsuredAmericanshasgottensomeattentiononCapitolHill."CongressneedstoshowthesamecommitmenttoaddressingthisproblemasithastodeliveringaprescriptiondrugbenefitinMedicare,"saidSen.CharlesGrassley(R,Iowa),SenateFinanceCommitteechair."There'snoone-size-fits-allsolution,sowehavetolookatalotofdifferentinitiatives."
ByJoelB.Finkelstein,AMNewsstaff.Oct.13,2003., http://www.100md.com