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A serious illness away from bankruptcy
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TEXT OF STORY
Steve Chiotakis: We've heard horror stories before about the cost of medical care. Now one Harvard doctor says most American families are just one serious illness away from bankruptcy. There's a new report out today in the American Journal of Medicine that says medical bills are involved in 60 percent of personal bankruptcies here in the United States. The latest from Washington, and Tamara Keith.
Tamara Keith: The share of bankruptcies that could be blamed on medical bills rose by 50 percent from 2001 to 2007. But here's the amazing thing: 75 percent of those bankruptcies hit people covered by health insurance who were still overwhelmed by medical debts.
The research comes from Harvard Law School, Harvard Medical School and Ohio University. Researchers say most medical debtors were well-educated, owned homes and had middle-class jobs. The results are based on a survey of families who filed for bankruptcy in early '07.
Multiple Sclerosis caused the highest out-of-pocket costs, followed by diabetes, injuries, mental illness and heart disease. Of course, serious medical problems can also lead to a loss of income due to missed work.
In Washington, I'm Tamara Keith for Marketplace.
Howard Dean is correct.
"a"(Toothy, Robust)"public health insurance option is more important than bipartisanship, and Democrats should pass health-care legislation that includes the option with 51 votes if necessary."
"Democrats should have "no intention" of working with Republicans if it's not the strongest possible legislation that could be passed with a simple majority." (Howard Dean)
This is what WE THE PEOPLE gave the Democrats all that power to do for ALL of us.
You see, Dr. Dean knows that in medicine and healthcare there is only one acceptable standard. And that standard is the HIGHEST level of EXCELLENCE you can provide for everyone. Nothing less has ever been acceptable in caring for a precious human life.
And the White House is right too. "Good health care reform is essentially good economic policy." (Christina Romer)
jacksmith -- WORKING CLASS
I urge everyone to go to the New Yorker magazine and read Dr. Gawande's article, "The Cost Conundrum". His brief appearance on Marketplace does not do it justice. Until we get the profit motive out of health care, we are doomed to this charade. His investigation showed how doctors (some, not all) and the health care industry (they don't call it an "industry" for nothing), view us all as "revenue streams". So much for Hipporates
You would think by looking at our retiree benefits handbook that we have the gold standard of care--however by "carving out" a variety of items--prescription, mental health etc. we have a part-time job pursuing claims and coverage. When a family member required inpatient MH care in the past year we found out the bait and switch game that the MH carveout given to giant UBH played with us---challenging the medical necessity ad nauseum, refusing to cover out-of network by requiring us to use cheaper providers with poor track records. The most recent straw that broke the camel's back was a referral to a provider over 250 miles from our home. We have learned that the phrase is "phantom" provider--it's one thing to have coverage, it's quite another to have them actually give the care. It sucks. We need universal healthcare and insurance companies that are held to a higher standard.
