Nearly 59 million lack health insurance: CDC

[Citaro]

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

WASHINGTON | Tue Nov 9, 2010 9:08pm EST

 

(Reuters) - Nearly 59 million Americans went without health insurance coverage for at least part of 2010, many of them with conditions or diseases that needed treatment, federal health officials said on Tuesday.

 

They said 4 million more Americans went without insurance in the first part of 2010 than during the same time in 2008.

 

"Both adults and kids lost private coverage over the past decade," Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told a news briefing.

 

The findings have implications for U.S. healthcare reform efforts. A bill passed in March promises to get health insurance coverage to 32 million Americans who currently lack coverage.

 

But Republicans who just took control of the House of Representatives last week have vowed to derail the new law by cutting off the funds for it, and some want to repeal it. Experts from both sides predict gridlock in Congress for the next two years in implementing healthcare reform's provisions.

 

Even before the healthcare reform act, Congress passed provisions expanding free health coverage for children.

 

"As private insurance coverage fell, the safety net protected children, but did not adequately protect adults," Frieden said.

 

Nine percent of adults lost private insurance, and public insurance picked up just 5 percent of them, the CDC said. Frieden said 22 percent of adults aged 18 to 64 are uninsured.

 

The CDC analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey or NHIS for 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 and the first quarter of 2010 for its report. "It's an in-person household survey interviewing nearly 90,000 individuals from around 35,000 households," Frieden said.

 

The analysis found that in the first quarter of 2010, an estimated 59.1 million people had no health insurance for at least part of the year, an increase from 58.7 million in 2009 and 56.4 million in 2008.

 

LONG-TERM UNINSURED

 

More than 80 percent were adults aged 18 to 64. People over 65 are eligible for Medicare, the federal health insurance plan for the elderly.

 

Frieden said more people also went for a year or more with no health insurance -- from 27.5 million in 2008 to 30.4 million in the first quarter of 2010. "That's an increase of 3 million in chronically uninsured adults," he said.

 

"Now, the data also allow us to debunk two myths about health care coverage," Frieden added.

 

"The first myth is that it's only the poor who are uninsured. In fact, half of the uninsured are over the poverty level and one in three adults under 65 in the middle income range -- defined arbitrarily here between $44,000 and $65,000 a year for a family of four -- were uninsured at some point in the year."

 

And Frieden said many people argue that only the healthy risk going without health insurance.

 

"In fact ... more than two out of five individuals who are uninsured at some point during the past year had one or more chronic diseases and this is based on just a partial list of chronic diseases," he said.

 

For example, 15 million of the people who went without health insurance had high blood pressure, diabetes or asthma.

 

People with such conditions often end up in emergency rooms and require treatment, paid for by hospitals or taxpayers, that is far more expensive than getting proper preventive care would have been.

 

"If you have diabetes and you don't get needed care in the short term you end up in the intensive care unit," Frieden said.

[Eastman346]

You seem to have an obsession with the American health care system.

[metsfan]

Even with obama's health care efforts this country has a long way to go to provide quality affordable medical and dental care.

 

- A

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[SubwayGuy]

He's right that healthcare here is overpriced and craptastic.

 

I don't agree with his solution for the system though.

 

I will say that premiums are ridiculous. If you are self employed, it costs about $5,000 a year (or more) to get insurance. Generally healthy people won't even use that much coverage in THREE years.

 

All profit for the insurers.

 

For many, it makes financial sense to take the risk and not be covered. That money can be saved, invested, or pocketed in a rainy day fund for when it IS needed. And odds are the health bill will be less than the savings.

[MTARegional Bus]

You seem to have an obsession with the American health care system.

 

 

Not only just that but he talks about how bad the U.S is doing now compared to Germany and other country that are doing great and beings the charts of course.

 

if you are serious about American politics Citaro come live here,and become a politician.

[Joe]

if you are serious about American politics Citaro ... become a politician.

 

Too inconvenient for him. He'd rather complain from the comfort of his computer chair.

[East New York]

Too inconvenient for him. He'd rather complain from the comfort of his computer chair.

 

Sounds like what a lot of people do right here in the good 'ol US of A!

[Urbanfortitude]

Sounds like what a lot of people do right here in the good 'ol US of A!

 

I agree. As an addition I don't see anything wrong with him reporting relevant issues with our country. It sure as hell beats some of the threads with foam over an R160 signed up as a and a certain someone's stalking girls at his school.

[SubwayGuy]

I agree. As an addition I don't see anything wrong with him reporting relevant issues with our country. It sure as hell beats some of the threads with foam over an R160 signed up as a and a certain someone's stalking girls at his school.

 

Most of the threads in the subway forum have been unbearable lately. Most of it is fantasy map this/that, or they should add this route or that. But none of the ideas are new, they're all old ideas that have already been rejected and people keep bringing them back up again.

 

There are a lot of interesting things that can be discussed, but no one seems to want to discuss them.

[Urbanfortitude]

I'm actually learning something with these discussions. I encourage Citaro to keep posting and spurring the conversations on.

 

On top of that I'm one of the uninsured so damn straight I'm gonna be interested in this topic.

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[MTARegional Bus]

This is why I'm mad obama canceled the Constilation Program lunar colony missions, I had high hopes of getting away from all this crap.

 

America is the last bastion of true free market capitolism, Obamacare and every other social program, is crushing the American Dream, crushing the very thing that has made us the country we are, by punishing success. do you want to know why republicans are in favor of tax cuts for that inculde the upper income range? It's becuase there is no incentive to do well if I have give away a huge chunk of what I earned, to support someone else, who I don't even know, regaurdless of wether or not they can work. I could, one day, come up with something that makes me as rich as Bill Gates, but what's the point If the government takes most of it...

 

edit, just for refernce, there are 403 americans worth $1 billion or more. it takes the next 7 countries put together; China,

India, Russia, Germany, Canada, United Kingdom and Turkey to get anywhere close.

 

 

If you are a millionaire or billionaire that lives comfortable and can afford 10 house surely can pay a chunk of the taxes

right?

 

 

It amazes me that bloomberg is a billionaire yet he does nothing for city.

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[SubwayGuy]

This is why I'm mad obama canceled the Constilation Program lunar colony missions, I had high hopes of getting away from all this crap.

 

America is the last bastion of true free market capitolism, Obamacare and every other social program, is crushing the American Dream, crushing the very thing that has made us the country we are, by punishing success. do you want to know why republicans are in favor of tax cuts for that inculde the upper income range? It's becuase there is no incentive to do well if I have give away a huge chunk of what I earned, to support someone else, who I don't even know, regaurdless of wether or not they can work. I could, one day, come up with something that makes me as rich as Bill Gates, but what's the point If the government takes most of it...

 

Actually there's a huge reason: the common good of all Americans. America was founded on an idea of INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY. Freedom from oppression, forced thought, religion, etc. However, it's economic model has always worked best when based on the following model:

 

A balanced economy driven by manufacturing and exports with high tax rates on the wealthy, and just enough government interference to enforce fairness and safety, but no more than that.

 

Very successful. Anyone who wants to make it in business can. Low earners are taxed less than high earners. High earners always have an incentive to try and earn more because the more they make the more they keep. Even with a 90% tax rate on income above $10 million a year, a guy making $11 million will still keep an additional $100,000 (oversimplification of our tax code, but the point stands). That $100,000 will always motivate them. Also, do you really think the rich "work" for their money? A CEO of a developed company simply winds it up and lets it go. An investor in the stock market leaves his investments alone and they appreciate, and he pays the taxes on it when he sells (and gets a preferential rate, I might add). Part of the structure of our tax code is that if rates go up on the wealthy, they do not go up on ALL of their income, only the portion above a certain threshold. They pay the same rates the rest of us do on their income below a certain amount.

 

In other words, a guy who makes $900,000 a year pays the same rate on the first $35,000 of his income as someone who makes EXACTLY $35,000 pays on the entirety of his.

 

So when tax rates are "raised" on the rich, they are raised on the portion ABOVE a certain threshold. Therefore by voting to extend the Bush tax cuts for the lower, working, and middle classes, the rich are STILL getting the same tax break as everyone else on the portion of their income below those thresholds. The DIFFERENCE is that it's not good enough for those GREEDY BASTARDS so they want their tax break extended on the portion of their income that everyone else DOESN'T get. Are you following this yet? They want a tax break extended, one that was gifted them by one of the worst presidents in American history, in the middle of a huge deficit and a gigantic recession, JUST for them - the WEALTHIEST people in the country and they expect EVERYONE ELSE to pay the taxes to reduce the deficit.

 

Raising tax rates on the rich is not going to stifle innovation or creativity. Innovation and creativity are stifled when an education fails the system (a different problem going on today, but one unrelated to the current debate). It is not punishing success as you claim. Punishing success is when a whole generation takes out student loans believing higher education will land them a good job and suffers through poor employment and debt as a result, and the government does nothing to persuade businesses to hire domestically, or to higher first time workers. Or to overhaul the governmentally funded education system which has its share of excesses and waste, so as to reduce the costs for students so that they don't have to take out debt to get a degree.

 

Read the article in this link: http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24679 - it's a real study on what happens when tax rates go up on the rich. They don't run. They don't flee. They stay put, quietly pay their taxes, continue trying to earn as much money as they can, and contribute to the economy as well as reduce the share that the rest of us have to pay. And they still live their lavish and comfortable lifestyles without interruption.

 

The rich are laughing their way to the bank with all of the people who make less than them defending their excesses. Open your eyes and you will see what's really going on.

[MHV9218]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[MattTrain]

I'm not so shocked about this number of uninsured people.

[MTARegional Bus]

double negitive, you might want to avoid those.

 

Fixed lol

[East New York]

Most of the threads in the subway forum have been unbearable lately. Most of it is fantasy map this/that, or they should add this route or that. But none of the ideas are new, they're all old ideas that have already been rejected and people keep bringing them back up again.

 

There are a lot of interesting things that can be discussed, but no one seems to want to discuss them.

 

I'm currently learning a lot about the subway right now, and I will soon be making a string of new posts on some hot topics. The bus forum is on fire right now, and I have BIG plans to make the subway forum equally as hot. Stay tuned!!!

 

I'm actually learning something with these discussions. I encourage Citaro to keep posting and spurring the conversations on.

 

On top of that I'm one of the uninsured so damn straight I'm gonna be interested in this topic.

 

IAWTP 200%. Thank you!!!

 

This is why I'm mad obama canceled the Constilation Program lunar colony missions, I had high hopes of getting away from all this crap.

 

America is the last bastion of true free market capitolism, Obamacare and every other social program, is crushing the American Dream, crushing the very thing that has made us the country we are, by punishing success. do you want to know why republicans are in favor of tax cuts for that inculde the upper income range? It's becuase there is no incentive to do well if I have give away a huge chunk of what I earned, to support someone else, who I don't even know, regaurdless of wether or not they can work. I could, one day, come up with something that makes me as rich as Bill Gates, but what's the point If the government takes most of it...

 

edit, just for refernce, there are 403 americans worth $1 billion or more. it takes the next 7 countries put together; China,

India, Russia, Germany, Canada, United Kingdom and Turkey to get anywhere close.

 

I think the Bill Gates and the Oprahs of the USA couldn't care less about being taxed a little extra. At least that's what they said.

 

It's a sad day in history when accessible health care for all, tax cuts for the rich, in-sourcing of jobs, and speaking out on discrimination towards gays and non-Christians destroys The American Dream.

 

Hell. I guess I need to start having more nightmares!!:confused:

[SubwayGuy]

I will also argue that "free market capitalism" as some define it, is simply another way of saying "laissez-faire capitalism" in which individuals and businesses do whatever they want with no government role whatsoever, and the mighty and ambiguous market determines EVERYTHING.

 

Gee, that sure sounds wonderful for a textbook. So did socialism. Everyone living together in communal peace and harmony, no inequalities...

 

But NEITHER works outright. The "market" doesn't fix anything. Efficient Market theory (for those of you who have taken economics) is based on the theory of Perfect Information and the Rational Being. Which means two VERY wrong assumptions are made from the start. It is assumed that every person knows all their alternatives and the underlying truth of what is going on in every single economic situation. It assumes that knowing this, a person will always choose the option that is best for them.

 

People know smoking causes cancer, they still smoke. They know it costs them money, they still smoke. The Rational Being does not exist. Neither does Perfect Information. The people who invested in Bernie Madoff didn't know he was a fraud. Flash trades done by computers to take advantage of split second inequities in pricing to create profit have more information than individual investors. How can individual investors be expected to make sound decisions with less than perfect information?

 

Efficient Market Theory is bullshit. It's time to get out of the textbook and start looking at the real world. "Laissez Faire" capitalism is essentially economic anarchy.

 

EVERY single time. EVERY one. In American history. That we have allowed "laissez-faire" "anything-goes" capitalism to take over this country the result has been a huge boom time, followed by a lengthy depression and the erosion of worker's rights as well as imbalances between the rich and everyone else. EVERY. Single. Time. To get out of the doldrums, America has historically (again, each time) enacted many of the types of measures I generally list out in my posts in OT. And every one of those times, America got out of it and recovered. Things started going good again. Then along came the "laissez faire" bandwagon of idiots pushing to reverse all the legislation that had dug the US out of problems in the first place, and shortly after the country finds itself back in lean times again.

 

Here we are again folks. Read a history book. We know what we've got to do. No one is willing to do it though.

 

Final note: corporations are not individuals. Corporations were created to allow individuals to be creative in forming businesses without risking the entirety of their livelihoods in doing so. Therefore they are legal entities, but they are not people. They do not have a right to life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness. They can only sue and be used as an independent legal entity without the owner(s) becoming personally liable. Anything beyond that is a bastardization of what a corporation was intended to be by corporatist interests.

[SubwayGuy]

my eyes are the ones that are open. why the heck should I have to pay for someone else. if you can work, get a bleeping job! Barry-boy's plans ENCOURGAES lazyness "oh, the government will take care of me". every idea to "stimulate" the economy he's had has been a joke. He's only building up helathcare because he cant admit he doesn't know the first thing about improving emyployment.

 

You have to pay for someone else, because someday when you are old, collecting Social Security (which you've paid into) as a supplement to what you've set aside for your own retirement, and paying the reduced premiums associated with a government backed plan that allow you to get by on your fixed income...someone else will be paying for YOU. Just like you are paying (or will soon) for your parents' care, your children will be paying for you. News flash kid, you're not going to be perfectly healthy forever.

 

Or should we just toss you to the wolves aka private insurers at that point when you are 65 and develop an illness that needs constant treatment? Then they can raise the premiums on you to whatever they want, ignore how much or how little you have coming in each month, and then deny your coverage when you can't pay and force you into a deep personal debt for the rest of your life as you have to pay "out of pocket". And that's really fair to those doctors and hospitals who are going to treat you, but never going to receive the full payment for their services to you since you're not going to be able to pay them ever.

 

And try and get past your little hardon for Obama hating. If you can't debate the issues objectively, there's no point. This has NOTHING to do with Obama or any individual in government. It has to do with a history lesson and what the aristocrats who have run our government for the last 234 years do every few years like clockwork.

 

Also I don't know where you're getting your "American Dream" from but the historic American Dream was "rags to riches." That's the reason so many people immigrated here in the first place. To make a better life for themselves. If life here is all about "Hooray Me and F*** You" why would anyone want to be here? America was a land of opportunity, never a land of excess. If America makes opportunities for Americans...all of them who want to pursue them, the Dream lives. If it doesn't, the Dream is dead.

[Kamen Rider]

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

[East New York]

when a TA worker speaks about something related to transit, their word is taken as final most of the time.

 

I'm about to get a B.A. in political science. I think that spending the last 5 years of my life poring over laws, court cases and political processes and history, gives me the advantage in discusions about government.

 

 

If someone is completly incaplable of caring for themsevels, that is a completly diffrent thing than adopting a eurotrash system that lets every lazy A-hole mooch off my hard earned income no questions asked, which is what Obama care is and I don't give a crap if any of you think otherwise.

 

 

I have one last thing to say to you

 

"A government that is big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you have" - Thomas Jefferson

 

First of all, the "eurotrash" comment is totally unnecessary.

 

Lots of the people who NEED "Obamacare" are the hundreds of thousands of people who once had health care, but either cannot afford it anymore, or were laid off (plan cancelled) and can't find a job anywhere to save their lives. So here is my question for you. What exactly is "Obamacare" then?

[Master'KJ]

when a TA worker speaks about something related to transit, their word is taken as final most of the time.

 

I'm about to get a B.A. in political science. I think that spending the last 5 years of my life poring over laws, court cases and political processes and history, gives me the advantage in discusions about government.

 

 

If someone is completly incaplable of caring for themsevels, that is a completly diffrent thing than adopting a eurotrash system that lets every lazy A-hole mooch off my hard earned income no questions asked, which is what Obama care is and I don't give a crap if any of you think otherwise.

 

 

I have one last thing to say to you

 

"A government that is big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you have" - Thomas Jefferson

 

Eurotrash? Eurotrash??? Ok hold up... As a junior in college let me tell you something.. Your ignorance is very pedestrian!!! Coming from someone who takes 5 years to complete a BA....( I hope one of those yrs was in community college) And even then seems like u still need a stepping stone. Obama care is a stepping stone. Where do u get off bashing... not keeping an open mind, but yet being obstinate with anything political. Your comment was just as ignorant as Sarah Palin's comment about seeing Russia from her house! Selfish is what i call it. You must a conservative/republican who feels they got it all.. and if you don't need the help., why help anyone but yourself.....

 

And please, before you finish your 5 years of education that makes you an expert on this subject, you may want to pick up a few extra English classes. We already have a surplus of ignorant conservatives!!!