Health insurance does not cure all the insured's ills

By BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

A published story recently caught my attention, or maybe it was the headline that drew me into the story.

Whatever the case, the story dealt with the ?insured poor.? That?s right, you?ve heard of the working poor; well, there are also the insured poor.

Unless you work for the state, federal government or some corporate giant, chances are your company-provided health insurance (that is, if the company provides that as a benefit) leaves you in the insured poor category.

The attention-grabbing article said that an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs revealed that one in four privately insured adults doubted whether they could pay for a major unexpected illness or injury.

Survey results found that the largest financial worriers were those with high-deductible policies, forcing them to pay a chunk of money before the insurance kicked in.

Unfortunately, the majority of American workers fall into that category. Another factor is that if a patient has health insurance, you may be charged more for your care. Those aren?t my words but something told to me by an employee of a hospital billing department (the hospital is located in western Iowa).

Taking those words as gospel, which is dangerous, the insured poor face a double whammy. Not only are they hit with higher deductibles but they also face higher costs for their care.

A high-deductible plan is defined by the government as a $1,300 annual deductible for individual coverage.

Due to the smack in the wallet, the costs actually serve as a detriment to their health.

For example, poll results showed:

? Nineteen percent of privately insured adults said they did not go to the doctor when they were sick or injured, because of costs. Among those with high-deductible plans, the figure was 29 percent.

? Seventeen percent skipped a recommended test or treatment; it was 23 percent among those with high-deductible plans.

? Eighteen percent of adults went without a physical examination or other preventative care; the figure rose to 24 percent among those with high-deductible plans.

A majority (52 percent) of those with private insurance said they would rather pay a higher premium or limit out-of-pocket costs than lower their premiums and potentially face higher out-of-pocket charges.

Some said they are forced to make financial trade-offs to pay medical bills.

? Overall, 33 percent said they cut back on entertainment; 43 percent among those with high-deductible plans.

? Eighteen percent said they used up all or most of their savings; the number rose to 24 percent with high-deductible plans.

? Nineteen percent said they dialed down their contributions for retirement savings ? 28 percent for people with high-deductible plans.

The problem with the cost of health care is not so much insurance but the costs assessed by the providers, which I have long thought is the best way to attack the dilemma. How? That is the dilemma and if you have the answer, chances are you will be making a lot more money than you are now.

Want to know what to wear on Tuesday, Oct. 21? How about something red?

The family of an 11-year-old Girl Scout in Western Illinois is asking people to wear red that day as the girl undergoes heart surgery.

Sophia Carter was diagnosed with heart disease over the summer. The family has created a community Facebook page, entitled ?Go Red for Sophia.?

She is challenging people to wear red on the day of her surgery, take a photo and share it on the Facebook page.

?Part of this is to show support for Sophia, but it?s also to spread awareness about heart disease and the importance of women?s heart health. Heart disease is the number-one killer of women, even more so than cancer,? noted Sophia?s mother, Janna.

Carter said her daughter appreciates the support because the surgery is scary for her. She hopes that spreading awareness about heart disease will help change people?s perception that it only happens to people who are unhealthy.