Archives of Monthly News Updates
for a Time of Transition
Health Care
September, 2008 - January, 2010
January, 2010
August, 2009
* Mexico's Health Care Lures Americans USA Today, 8/31 Yet another topic we began tracking in 2007 and include a chapter on Living in a Foreign Land in Middle Class Life Boat when we found people were already eagerly making this choice in part due to the health care advantages.
*
One of the greatest threats to modern
medicine
Isotope Shortage Means Health Care Crisis
LA Times 8/9 This shortage illustrates how fragile so
much we take for granted actually is.
July, 2009
*
Families walk though dew-soaked grass before dawn to
wait for hours if not days in cold nights and hot days to see a dentist or
doctor
In Virginia Free Health-Care Fair Innundated
AFP 7/29
*
One million new college alumni dropped from
parents' health insurance face tough time affording a replacement
Congratulations. Now go get Health Insurance
USA Today 7/17
*
Underinsurance, the failure of insurance
plans to protect us from the cost of needed medical care, is a growing
problem for millions of middle- and lower-income Americans
Your Health Plan May
Ruin You Daily Globe 7/11
*
Three-quarters of people pushed into personal
bankruptcy
by medical problems had insurance when they got sick or were injured
Insured but Bankrupt by Health Crisis New York
Times 7/1
June, 2009
*
Preventative care often get cuts first
Health Suffers in Recession USA Today 6/25
*
Insurance cancelled retroactively after
illness is fairly common
Insurers Revoke Policies to Avoid Paying Higher Costs
NPR 6/23
*
30% of 19-29 year-olds and 34% of college
graduate have no health insurance after graduation
Grads, Are You Covered? Angeles Times, 6/22
*
Average time for an appointment with a new
doctor: 50 days
Wait Times to See the Doctor Getting Longer USA
Today, 6/3
*
Even low-cost generics become too expensive
as
many go without medications
Slump Pushing Cost of Drugs Out of Reach New York
Times, 6/3
*
Even low-cost generics become too expensive
as many go without medications
Medical Bills Play a Role in 62% of Bankruptcies LA
Times, 6/3
May, 2009
*
Health insurance costs trap workers in
jobs they want to leave
US
Health System Discourages Innovation Reuters, 5/26
April, 2009
* Diabetics risk life and limb cutting
back on or going without care
Diabetics Skimp on Care in Recession
USA Today, 4/13
*
Ruined by health care
Even with Health Insurance We Weren't Safe from Financial Ruin
Alternet 4/10
March, 2009
*
Insurance lost along with jobs
21% of Americans Scramble to Cover Medical, Drug Bills,
USA Today 3/1
* Public
Health faces growing demand for services while having to impose cutbacks
The
Impact of the Economic Crisis on Public Health
Energy
Bulletin 3/11
* 50 percent of all
bankruptcy filings were partly the result of medical expenses
Health Care Crisis: A Bankruptcy Every 30 Seconds
CNN Money
3/5
*
Economic decline ravages hospitals
Half of Hospitals in the Red Los Angeles Times 3/2
February, 2009
*
Cobra coverage subsidies help those losing jobs
Firms Fear Health Care Costs May Rise
Today 2/20
January, 2009
* One in seven Americans under age 65
went without prescribed medicines in 2007 as drug costs spiraled
More
Americans Skipping Necessary Prescriptions
NY Times, 1l22
* Newly unemployed Americans paying
30% of their jobless benefits to have have health insurance
Healthcare Too Costly for Unemployed Los Angeles Times, 1l9
* More patients at emergency rooms
unable to pay for procedures
Hospitals See Drop in Paying Patients
New York Times 1/6
November, 2008
* More people showing
up at emergency rooms unable to pay
Hospitals See Drop in Paying Patients
New York Times,
11/7
* Almost one in five have medical bills over $1,000
or more.
Growing Numbers of Americans Report Problems Paying Medical Bills and
Delaying and Skipping Care Due to Costs. PRN News Wire 10/21
*
Middle-Aged Suicide Climbing Steadily
US Suicide on the Rise Los Angeles Times
10/20
Our comment: Researchers are baffled?
Couldn't be the
economy, stupid?What about all the recent articles about people killing themselves over
foreclosures? Hmmm.
* Between 2002 and 2007 health insurance premiums rose 78%,
outpacing inflation (17%) and wages (19%)
Hospitals See Drop in Paying Patients LA Times
10/21
*
Since 2004 prices for 112 specialty drugs increased by 42.9 percent
compared to general inflation of 14.1 percent. Since the Medicare drug
benefit was added in 2006. manufacturers' prices for the 144 most widely
used drugs rose nearly 8% that year and another nearly 9% last year.
RX Watchdog.
AARP 10/08
* Workers are shouldering higher health care costs.
Survey: Workers' family health care deductibles jump 29%
USA
Today
*
Workers and employers won't find much comfort in the smallest increase in
health insurance costs
Health insurance costs are rising faster than inflation
USA
Today
*
America workers losing jobs by hordes by tens of thousands
Spending Stalls and Businesses Slash US Jobs New York Times 10/25
*
Disaster in Job Market Dead Ahead
Coming Pink Slip Epidemic Business Week 10/21
*
Increasing likelihood that overall layoffs will top one million
this year.
Job Out look Darkens
CNBC 10/5
* September job losses worst in five years.
U.S. Loses 159,000 jobs LA Times
10/4