Health Care in America is Hurting Families
Health Care in America is Hurting Families – by Catherine Morgan
The results are in from an AFL-CIO sponsored survey on the health care of America. In seven weeks, over 26 thousand people (most of them insured and employed) took an online survey, and the results reveal fundamental problems with America’s health care system. [The people who took the survey also submitted 7,489 heart-wrenching stories about the effects of this broken health care system on them and their families. You’ll see some of their stories throughout this report.]
This is from the results of the 2008 Health Care For America Survey…
- One-third of respondents to the online survey, sponsored by the AFL-CIO and Working America, report skipping medical care because of cost, and a quarter had serious problems paying for the care they needed.
- Ninety-five percent say they are somewhat or very concerned about being able to afford health insurance in the coming years.
- Almost half overall (48 percent) and 60 percent of Latinos say they or a family member has stayed in a job to keep health care benefits when they would have preferred changing jobs.
- Ninety-five percent of respondents say America’s health care system needs fundamental change or to be completely rebuilt.
- Seventy-nine percent say health care is a very important voting issue, and 97 percent say they plan to vote in the November elections.
Our failing health care system seems to also be a factor in additional financial struggles families are facing…
- Eighty-three percent of respondents say their families have just enough to get by or are falling behind.
- And a shocking 84 percent predict the standard of living will be worse for the next generation.
Even people with health insurance are feeling the pinch…
- Ninety-six percent of people with insurance say they are somewhat or very concerned about affording coverage in the next few years.
- Seventy-one percent of the insured worry about losing coverage because they may lose or change jobs.
- Almost two-thirds (61 percent) who have employer-provided coverage say their costs have gotten worse.
- Ninety-five percent of people with insurance are dissatisfied with health care costs, and 62 percent of them are dissatisfied with health care quality.
- Ninety-four percent of the insured say the health care system needs fundamental change or to be rebuilt.
I really recommend everyone check out this whole report, it is full of important information, graphs, charts, and more. At the end there is even a section that breaks the information down by state, and there is also a link that shows you how you can TAKE ACTION.
The folloing is from John J. Sweeney, AFL-CIO President
The 2008 Health Care in America Survey reveals tragic flaws in America’s health care system—flaws that provide more evidence that our country is headed in the wrong direction.
“Our job in 2008 is to elect a president, Congress and leaders at every level who will work to Turn Around America. Health care costs are out of control. We have an economy that does not work for working families. Good jobs are disappearing. Our trade policies are disastrous. Workers are losing their freedom to form unions and bargain to improve their lives. Hard-working people are losing their homes, their home equity and their retirement security. Our schools and roads and bridges are crumbling underneath us.
The road to health care reform—and to an economy that works for all—runs through the 2008 elections.
We have to help candidates who support real reform become active champions for health care. And we have to expose and hold accountable candidates at all levels who oppose real reform and propose false solutions.”
And here is what other bloggers are saying…
Jane at Health Populi wrote…
While on holiday this week in a warm climate amid some affluent Americans, I can tell you that health care has been a top-topic of conversation over breakfast and dinner. I have thus far met people from Ohio, Minnesota, Tennessee, Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and Indiana (as well as a few Germans and Canadians). Over drinks and food, I hear, over and over, stories about health care access and lack thereof, as well as cost concerns. One oncology researcher said the health care scene in Ohio looks and feels like the one he recalls from his early days as a young scientist living in Mississippi in the late 1970s.
The AFL-CIO survey further adds to the long list of polling sources that paint a picture of the Average American’s feelings about health care today. If those who are concerned about health care vote in November 2007, we may reach record turnout. If there is any good news in this study, that would be it.
Mike from the AFL-CIO Blog wrote…
Dorene counts on prayer for her health care because she and the nearly 27,000 other men and women who took the AFL-CIO/Working America 2008 Health Care for America Survey have lost faith in the nation’s health care system. The survey, released today, is one of the largest opinion pools available on health care. Of those who took the survey, nearly 7,500 submitted personal stories.
This is from Bad American…
I applaud the AFL-CIO for performing a community service with this study but I think its folly to expect any of the three candidates to do anything about the health care crisis.
Diane makes an interesting point at Workspace by Diane Stafford…
Among survey respondents who had health insurance, about half said it did not cover all the care they needed at a price they could afford.
Prescription drugs were ranked as the most unaffordable element of health care.
So here’s a controversial idea: Ban the expensive consumer advertising of prescription drugs. Market to doctors — the one’s doing the prescribing — and stop spending money on TV and print ads for consumers who can’t get the products on their own anyway. That might cut costs a tad.
George from Patient Centric Healthcare wrote…
You certainly should read the report and/or the website summary. I hope our presidential candidates and elected officials do.
