Uninsured

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March 23, 2012 | 11:07 AM | By

Uninsured–and Still Against the Health Law

Libertarian Paul Ruffino, 55, has been looking for an insurance plan since leaving his previous job. Several insurance companies refuse to cover him because he has pre-existing conditions.

Libertarian Paul Ruffino, 55, has been looking for an insurance plan since leaving his previous job. Several insurance companies refuse to cover him because he has pre-existing conditions. (Photo: Sarah Varney)

Today marks the second anniversary of the federal health care law, and, unless you’ve been depriving yourself of news for the last several weeks, that same law will be front and center before the Supreme Court starting Monday. Here in California, uninsured Californians have a particular stake in the Court’s actions.

Madera County is a largely conservative and agricultural area where one in every three people lacks coverage. While many people say they want the Supreme Court to throw out the federal health law, I found that many there are struggling to reconcile their political views with the basic need for health insurance.

I started off in Oakhurst. Here, just a few miles from the entrance to Yosemite National Park, is the Sweetwater Steakhouse, a local watering hole where no one is shy about their opinions of President Obama’s signature initiative, including people like Joe Stern. ”ObamaCare is absolutely horrible, horrible, horrible. It should struck down immediately.” Continue reading →

FILED UNDER: KQED blogs, Reform, Election 2012, Health Care and the Supreme Court, Individual Mandate, Uninsured
February 24, 2012 | 5:08 PM | By

High-Risk Insurance Pool Helps … But What About Cost?

By: Kamal Menghrajani

Because people who enroll in the pool have been uninsured, there is pent-up demand for health care, experts say. (D. Sharon Pruitt: Flickr)

Because people who enroll in the pool have been uninsured, there is pent-up demand for health care, experts say. (D. Sharon Pruitt: Flickr)

Thousands of California’s sickest residents are already benefitting from the federal health care law. The Affordable Care Act says that people cannot be denied health insurance for a pre-existing condition. Until the law goes into full effect in 2014, the government has created a bridge program to help–the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, or PCIP. But this high-risk insurance program is proving to be much more expensive than expected.

California is spending three times more than anticipated to insure the people who have enrolled in this program. Before the program launched in 2010, California projected that the program would cost about $12,000 a year for each member. But a year later the administrators of the program determined it was costing more than $37,000 per patient.

According to a report [PDF] from the White House, the cost of care for PCIP patients across the country is twice as much as originally projected. Continue reading →

FILED UNDER: Money, Policy, Reform, Health Care and the Supreme Court, Health Care Reform, Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, Uninsured
December 19, 2011 | 6:00 AM | By

7 Things Health Care Reform Has Already Accomplished

(Flickr: Adrian Clark)

(Flickr: Adrian Clark)

Health Care Reform won’t be fully implemented for another two years, but the key here is “fully.” Some changes are already in effect.

The problem, as a recent poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation highlighted, is a lot of Americans are confused about some of the most basic elements of the plan, even those things that are already in effect.

Health policy consultant Linda Bergthold set out to inform people under the amusing headline “Holiday Gifts from Health Reform” in the Huffington Post last week. There’s something for the old, the young, some of the uninsured and even small business owners.

1. If you are 65 or older — (and eligible for Medicare) — seniors who are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans (that’s Part C or the managed care part of Medicare) may have seen their premiums reduced this year. Some may even have access to ZERO premium health plans. Seniors also now receive free preventive treatments and a rebate of $500 if their drug coverage hits the “donut hole” in 2011.

Continue reading →

FILED UNDER: Reform, Affordable Care Act, Uninsured
December 9, 2011 | 4:27 PM | By

One Woman’s Apology to President Obama

President Obama signs health care reform law. (Photo: White House)

President Obama signs health care reform law. (Photo: White House)

Earlier this week, the Los Angeles Times published an opinion piece from Spike Dolomite Ward, a San Fernando Valley woman who ended up uninsured.

Her story sparked heated debate on the Times’ discussion board — 1,190 comments so far. It’s worth reading her entire essay, but I excerpt it here and include some of the more pointed reader comments at the end.

I want to apologize to President Obama. But first, some background.

I found out three weeks ago I have cancer. I’m 49 years old, have been married for almost 20 years and have two kids. My husband has his own small computer business, and I run a small nonprofit in the San Fernando Valley. I am also an artist. Money is tight, and we don’t spend it frivolously. …

Continue reading →

FILED UNDER: Money, Policy, Reform, Cost of Insurance, Health Care Reform, Pre-Existing Conditions, Uninsured