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This same 46-48 million number of uninsured that keeps getting spread around by proponents of a UHS is being quoted from a Census Bureau study about health care in 2007. http://www.census.gov/prod/2008pubs/p60-235.pdf
What they don't tell you about the numbers is interesting:
1. 9.7 million of those are not US citizens
2. 17.5 million of those make over $50,000 a year
3. 10 million were age 18-64 and didn't work
so if you take out the foreigners and people who choose not to pay for healthcare even though they can afford it, you are left with approx 20 million uninsured. Out of 300 million people. That is less than 7% of the population.
So we need UHS to take care of 7% of the population. Isn't that wonderful.
WHAT?
First of all.. that means that 80% of the people uninsured are citizens. BTW.. the NON CITIZEN group of people are NOT all illegals.. some are here on Visa's and /or are Green Card holders that get lumped into that 20% category.
Thirdly.. are you aware that an average families cost of healthcare is approx $12,700 for a family of four a year. At the average American's salary of $56K a year (which IS over $50K) that is 21% of their income.. pretty much equal to a second mortgage or rent on a second home.
Quotes below from that report reflect that the higher the income, the lower the percentage of uninsured. The bracket, however, of above $50K goes up to 75K. I wonder if you broke that down even more.. what the difference would be. Considering, again, that on a HOUSEHOLD income of 56K a year it cost on average $12,700 to insure a family of 4. and BTW.. these are HOUSEHOLDs NOT individual incomes that are recorded in this study.
ARe you going to have some idiots "choose" not to be insured.. of course you are. But it's an alarming trend when those that are "middle class" can not afford health insurance. You have NO PROOF whatsoever that they "choose" to not have health insurance and COULD afford it. As a matter of fact the FACT that health insurance cost have RISEN 4x's faster than earnings in this country makes the data.. actually make sense. That insurance is now PRICED above what an AVERAGE American family can afford to pay!! Again.. it's like having a second mortgage !!!
I'd be curios to see what the new numbers will be for 2008 and then 2009 with many Americans loosing their jobs and employers scaling back costs in a tight economy.
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The rate of private coverage decreased in 2007 to 67.5 percent, from 67.9 percent in 2006,
while the number of people covered
by private insurance was statistically
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unchanged at 202.0 million in 2007
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[SIZE=1][SIZE=1][SIZE=1] The proportion of people not covered by health insurance is lower among people with higher income. In 2007,
24.5 percent of people in households
with annual incomes of less than
$25,000 had no health insurance coverage.
Uninsured rates decreased for
each consecutive household income
group to 21.1 percent for households with incomes of $25,000 to $49,999, 14.5 percent for households with
Haven't found a Brit or a Canadian who is fond of their systems yet. (Unless they're 25 and have never been ill.)
Yet you'll never find them asking for a U.S type system They'll be asknig for improvements in their own.. but the thought of losing their system and adopting ours shuts them up pretty quick I'd say!
Think you are safe and immune from the healthcare issues in this country.. ha.. that is nieve!!! Uninsured is only a portion of the problem.. there is a HUGE problem amongs those that are INSURED that THINK they will actually get their needs met!! Big surprise when they actually read the fine print of their pricey health insurance!
NCHC | Facts About Healthcare - Health Insurance Costs (http://www.nchc.org/facts/cost.shtml - broken link)
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A recent study by Harvard University researchers found that the average out-of-pocket medical debt for those who filed for bankruptcy was $12,000. The study noted that 68 percent of those who filed for bankruptcy had health insurance. In addition, the study found that 50 percent of all bankruptcy filings were partly the result of medical expenses.9 Every 30 seconds in the United States someone files for bankruptcy in the aftermath of a serious health problem.
So you don't give a **** about 7% of the population?
You don't get it. They want to change everyone's healthcare, overhaul the entire system, to fix a 7% problem. Just fix it for the 7%.
That's always the problem, they over-react and by the way, the Republicans passively go along with the Dems (aka don't make waves) because business wants out of providing healthcare benefits.
It's illegal immigration all over again. The Dem politicians want the poor unfortunates to come across the border whenever they feel like it so they can secure the Hispanic vote and Repubs want the same people to come across the border whenever they feel like it so business gets cheap labor. Meanwhile the taxpaying suckers (that would be us) are footing the bill.
You don't get it. They want to change everyone's healthcare, overhaul the entire system, to fix a 7% problem. Just fix it for the 7%.
That's always the problem, they over-react and by the way, the Republicans passively go along with the Dems (aka don't make waves) because business wants out of providing healthcare benefits.
It's illegal immigration all over again. The Dem politicians want the poor unfortunates to come across the border whenever they feel like it so they can secure the Hispanic vote and Repubs want the same people to come across the border whenever they feel like it so business gets cheap labor. Meanwhile the taxpaying suckers (that would be us) are footing the bill.
Laura.. the problem isn't only with the unsinsured.. look at my post above.
There's also the issue of health insurance premiums rising cost that is hurting American business rendering it unable to compete with foreign companies. AND if jobs start shedding the "health benefit" as a result.. which they have been doing.. you can bet that 7% will skyrocket and put this country upside down in the area of healthcare..
Those numbers are from 2007.. BEFORE the economy tanked and there were so many unemployed.. I can't imagine what the numbers will be for 2008 and 2009!
Think you could afford health insurance if your job suspends that perk to cut costs.. something quite possible in this economy?? Remember.. the cost has risen year over year atleast 5%! and has outpaced American's income by 4xs!! Can you afford over 20% of your income on health premiums ALONE.. never mind out of pocket expenses and deductables?
Yet you'll never find them asking for a U.S type system They'll be asknig for improvements in their own.. but the thought of losing their system and adopting ours shuts them up pretty quick I'd say!
To the contrary, there is quite a movement across our borders from other countries to take advantage of our system, and none in the opposite direction. Does not support your theory very well, does it?
Heard on the news that Obama wants health records on the internet - guess for easy access by caregivers.
Yippee - we all know how safe stuff stored on the net it. Hackers always seem to find a way.
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They'll be asknig for improvements in their own.. but the thought of losing their system and adopting ours shuts them up pretty quick I'd say!
