by Michael E. Martinez, M.P.H., M.H.S.A., and Robin A. Cohen, Ph.D., Division of Health Interview Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
From January to June 2009, 45.4 million persons of all ages (15.1%) were uninsured at the time of interview, 58.4 million (19.4%) had been uninsured for at least part of the year prior to interview, and 31.9 million (10.6%) had been uninsured for more than a year at the time of interview.
From January to June 2009, 60.6% of unemployed adults aged 18-64 years and 21.8% of employed adults in this age group had been uninsured for at least part of the past year. Also, 32.9% of unemployed adults aged 18-64 and 13.3% of employed adults in this age group had been uninsured for more than a year.
Estimates of enrollment in HDHPs, CDHPs
Based on data from the January to June 2009 NHIS, 22.7% of persons under age 65 years with private health insurance were enrolled in a HDHP (high-deductible health plan), including 6.4% who were enrolled in a CDHP (consumer-directed health plan) and 16.4 % who were enrolled in a HDHP without a health savings account (HSA). Enrollment in HDHPs increased from 17.5% in 2007 to 22.7% in the first 6 months of 2009. There was a significant increase in enrollment in HDHPs without HSAs and in CDHPs between 2007 (when NHIS started collecting this information) and June 2009.
Based on data from the first 6 months of 2009, among persons under age 65 with private health insurance, 20.3% with employer-based coverage were enrolled in a HDHP, compared with 48.7% of those with a private plan that was directly purchased or obtained through means other than an employer. The percentage of persons covered by employer-based private plans that are HDHPs increased from 15.6% in 2007 to 20.3% in the first 6 months of 2009. The percentage of persons covered by directly purchased private health plans that are HDHPs increased from 39.2% in 2007 to 48.7% in the first 6 months of 2009. HDHPs constitute a growing share of both employment-based and directly purchased health plans.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/insur200912.htm
Comment:
By Don McCanne, MD
One-fifth of the nation has been uninsured for at least a part of the past year. What makes that number even more alarming is that, at the beginning of the reform process, President Obama and the Congress decided, in deference to the private insurance industry, that they wouldn’t even begin to try to insure everyone. Instead they decided to include just those who would fit in under under their model that is designed to nurture the private insurance industry.
Still even more alarming is the insurance coverage that they propose. The standard policies for middle-income Americans will have an actuarial value of 60% to 70%, which provides much less financial protection than did more traditional employer-sponsored plans. But look what is already happening. Employers are shifting more workers to high-deductible health plans (HDHPs), and in the individual insurance market, almost half of the plans purchased are HDHPs. Furthermore, almost three-fourths of these do not have the backup of a health savings account (HSA).
Except for relatively wealthy individuals, these HDHPs are underinsurance products. They do not provide adequate financial security for those who do develop health care needs.
So President Obama and the Congress are bailing on not only on the tens of millions who will remain uninsured, but also the ever growing number of us who will be underinsured, whether through individual or employer-sponsored plans.
The status quo is unacceptable, but so is this legislation. Dump it and move on immediately with reform that protects the financial well-being of absolutely everyone who needs medical care.