Comments on: 23.1% of WNC is Uninsured http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/07/16/231-of-wnc/ If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen. — Samuel Adams Wed, 23 May 2012 15:01:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Gordon Smith http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/07/16/231-of-wnc/comment-page-1/#comment-32387 Gordon Smith Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:00:31 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8620#comment-32387 <a href="http://citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090717/NEWS01/907170342" rel="nofollow">AC-T</a>: <blockquote>Escalating health care costs will have caused 230,990 North Carolinians to lose their health coverage between January 2008 and December 2010, or about 1,480 people, on average, every week, according to a new report released Wednesday by consumer health organization Families USA. [...] “Clearly, health care costs are out of control, and these costs are making health coverage increasingly unaffordable,” Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, said in a statement. “This report spotlights the number of people who are losing coverage in the absence of health care reform. The group said although the economic downturn is contributing to the problem, it is premiums, which have risen 119 percent from 1999-2008, that have the biggest impact on family and employer health care costs. Higher costs have caused employers to impose higher premiums or copayments, offer plans that cover fewer benefits, or not to offer health coverage, according to the group. Claudia Muse, executive director of the WNC Health Coalition, which represents self-insured businesses in the region, said she is seeing many small employers in Asheville and Western North Carolina changing the coverage they offer employees, shifting more responsibility to patients, or dropping coverage altogether. “That's not going to do any good,” Muse said. “It's going to cost more in the long-run.”</blockquote> AC-T:

Escalating health care costs will have caused 230,990 North Carolinians to lose their health coverage between January 2008 and December 2010, or about 1,480 people, on average, every week, according to a new report released Wednesday by consumer health organization Families USA.
[...]
“Clearly, health care costs are out of control, and these costs are making health coverage increasingly unaffordable,” Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, said in a statement. “This report spotlights the number of people who are losing coverage in the absence of health care reform.

The group said although the economic downturn is contributing to the problem, it is premiums, which have risen 119 percent from 1999-2008, that have the biggest impact on family and employer health care costs.

Higher costs have caused employers to impose higher premiums or copayments, offer plans that cover fewer benefits, or not to offer health coverage, according to the group.

Claudia Muse, executive director of the WNC Health Coalition, which represents self-insured businesses in the region, said she is seeing many small employers in Asheville and Western North Carolina changing the coverage they offer employees, shifting more responsibility to patients, or dropping coverage altogether.

“That’s not going to do any good,” Muse said. “It’s going to cost more in the long-run.”

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]]> By: Gordon Smith http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/07/16/231-of-wnc/comment-page-1/#comment-32381 Gordon Smith Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:36:08 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8620#comment-32381 All that killing, Tim! Who knew that health care could be so lethal? All that killing, Tim! Who knew that health care could be so lethal?

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]]> By: Tim Peck http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/07/16/231-of-wnc/comment-page-1/#comment-32380 Tim Peck Fri, 17 Jul 2009 03:20:10 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8620#comment-32380 It's Not An Option http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=332548165656854 What wasn't known until now is that the bill itself will kill the market for private individual coverage by not letting any new policies be written after the public option becomes law. . . What wasn't known until now is that the bill itself will kill the market for private individual coverage by not letting any new policies be written after the public option becomes law. It’s Not An Option
http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=332548165656854

What wasn’t known until now is that the bill itself will kill the market for private individual coverage by not letting any new policies be written after the public option becomes law. . . What wasn’t known until now is that the bill itself will kill the market for private individual coverage by not letting any new policies be written after the public option becomes law.

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]]> By: randallt http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/07/16/231-of-wnc/comment-page-1/#comment-32378 randallt Fri, 17 Jul 2009 01:12:19 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8620#comment-32378 I appreciate your optimism Gordon and have been having the same discussion here lately. Calling, e-mailing and old fashion letter writing IS key here. I appreciate your optimism Gordon and have been having the same discussion here lately. Calling, e-mailing and old fashion letter writing IS key here.

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]]> By: Paul C http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/07/16/231-of-wnc/comment-page-1/#comment-32376 Paul C Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:36:03 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8620#comment-32376 Join the Facebook group: HEATH CARES! Congressman Shuler Please Support a STRONG PUBLIC OPTION! http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=102601778010&ref=mf Join the Facebook group: HEATH CARES! Congressman Shuler Please Support a STRONG PUBLIC OPTION!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=102601778010&ref=mf

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]]> By: Andrew http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/07/16/231-of-wnc/comment-page-1/#comment-32375 Andrew Thu, 16 Jul 2009 21:30:26 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8620#comment-32375 23.1 -- that all? 23.1 — that all?

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