“Do you want to see something really scary?” That was a line from the 1983 film, Twilight Zone: The Movie. But that film is not the subject of this post. Healthcare insurance – specifically the lack of it – is more frightening than a sci-fi horror flick.
Various studies reveal that uninsured Americans are more likely than those with health insurance to delay seeking medical care. Often the only source – and sometimes the last resort – of medical care for the uninsured is treatment in the hospital emergency room. Because they lack health insurance that would enable them to get medical treatment, numerous uninsured Americans are dying daily from curable ailments or complications associated with preventable diseases. Furthermore, studies reveal that uninsured Americans are sicker and die earlier than those with insurance, and the uninsured are more likely to be diagnosed with a disease – like breast cancer – in the advanced stages, because they could not afford prescreening and preventive care.
If you have health insurance you may feel complacent about those facts, but ask anyone you know who is uninsured how they feel about those details and you may reassess your feelings.
Last week, Kyle Willis, the 24 year old nephew of musician Bootsy Collins died from a toothache, because he could not afford to have his infected wisdom tooth removed. Reportedly after suffering for two weeks with the toothache Willis developed severe headaches and facial swelling. He sought treatment in a Cincinnati hospital emergency room and was given two prescriptions; one an antibiotic, the other for pain. According to a relative, Willis could only afford to fill one prescription. He chose the pain medication. The pain ceased, but lacking the antibiotic, the infection spread to his brain and subsequently caused his demise.
A similar incident occurred in 2007, when twelve year old, Deamonte Driver died after his family was unable to afford the cost of getting his infected tooth removed.
Thousands of Americans lose their insurance after losing their jobs and just as many citizens are uninsured due to other circumstances. A number of the uninsured are working in low-paying jobs where the employer does not provide health insurance. That often puts the employee between a rock and a hard place – too poor to afford health insurance, but not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid.
The unsettling data concerning the unfortunate facts about uninsured Americans can be found in any number of studies including one by the Harvard Medical School. According to that study – one uninsured American dies every 12 minutes – 45,000 deaths a year associated with lack of health insurance.
Would you believe that deaths related to lack of healthcare is also prevalent among veterans? Many people think that all veterans are eligible to receive healthcare from the VA, but that is not the case. Veterans who are not injured in combat or who are middle income level or above are ineligible. The Harvard study published in the American Journal of Public Health revealed that 3.8 million members of U.S veteran households have no health insurance.
In 2010, President Obama signed into law a controversial healthcare bill; with portions to be phased in over the next few years. The bill would expand access to healthcare to millions of Americans. Public opinion on healthcare reform is still flip-flopping like a fish out of water and various states are resisting implementation of the law as they question its constitutionality. Meanwhile, like Willis and Driver, thousands of other uninsured Americans will never reap any benefits from Obamacare, because for them changes will come too late.