Home  News Local News Emergency rooms over crowded with uninsured
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Emergency rooms over crowded with uninsured |
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Written by Dr. Garth A. Rose
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Sunday, 11 May 2008 |
An estimated 3.8 million Floridians, 20 percent of the population, runs the risk of dying because they lack health coverage and cannot afford preventive health care. So says a report from Families USA that also states that “Uninsured adults are more likely to be diagnosed with a disease in an advanced stage.”
Families USA also estimates that six Floridians of working age die daily due to lack of health insurance, or approximately 2,400 people in 2006, and approximately 13,600 people between 2000 and 2006. The report revealed that in 2006 twice as many people died across the US because of the lack of health insurance as those who died from homicide.
Along with rising gas and food prices, affordable health care is a major problem faced by a large percent of the Caribbean and African American residents of South Florida. A recent National Weekly survey of these residents in the tri-county region showed that 26 percent has no health insurance coverage, compared with the 20 percent uninsured in Florida (the third highest rate of uninsured in the nation) and 24 percent in South Florida.
The Florida Legislature made an attempt to address the problem of affordable health coverage when last week it approved the health insurance package, ‘Cover Florida,’ proposed by Governor Charlie Crist. This coverage at a proposed cost of $160 per month (if health insurance companies agree) would make health insurance more affordable to many residents.
Individuals and families without health insurance face serious consequences as it is difficult for them to afford preventative care.
Sam Tyson of Sunrise says he has not had health insurance since losing his job at Motorola in Plantation almost eight year ago. “For eight years I have ignored a persistent cough, only affording over the counter remedies. Eventually, I went to the emergency room at a hospital where I was diagnosed with progressive lung cancer. Doctors told me the cancer has been there for some time, but I just couldn’t afford to see a doctor.”
Emergency room visits instead of preventive care
Going to hospital emergency rooms has become a solution for South Floridians without health insurance. The National Weekly survey showed that 61 percent of those without health insurance visited an emergency room more than once last year to get medical attention. But, this treatment is not free. Emergency room doctors and hospitals bill patients directly for the treatment. However, according to medical collection agencies in South Florida, the delinquency in bills due to ER doctors and hospitals is rising.
The manager of a Miramar medical collection agency, who requested anonymity, says that at his agency the delinquency ratio in emergency room medical bills increased by almost 30 percent since December 2006. “It is very hard to collect these bills as most of the delinquent patients just cannot pay,” he said. However, since hospitals cannot disallow patients emergency treatment this is the only means that some people have of getting medical treatment.
The National Weekly survey found a distinct co-relation between people having no health insurance, and incomes and jobs. Over 70 percent of those without health insurance held jobs that did not provide insurance coverage and earned low-paying annual salaries. On the other hand, 91 percent of those with health coverage were in jobs that provided some form of coverage, or earned incomes averaging over $28,000 per annum.
Ruddie Mckoy says he would never leave his job with a North Miami financial company because of the health benefits it provides. “The salary is kind of low, but the company pays about 70 percent of the health coverage for my family.” This is a sentiment expressed by the majority of those surveyed - health insurance coverage, ranks in priority over a high income without health benefits.
Most people with health insurance benefit from private medical coverage. The offices of Dr. Wayne Fraser, a Broward medical practitioner, said that well over 50 percent of the patients had medical insurance, and those who are private-pay patients are employed. The offices of Dr. Ian Jones, dental practitioner in Margate, said the majority of patients do have health coverage. Where patients have no health insurance they are referred to private finance companies who, if the patient qualifies, offer financing for treatment.
A representative of a Department of Children and Families (DCF) office in Miami-Dade told National Weekly that in recent years there has been sharp increase in demand from Caribbean and African American families for Medicaid, the state funded program that provides health coverage for the poor. “But only a small percentage of them qualify although their incomes are low. The criteria for aid have risen and the state cannot afford to fund all the applications,” the representative said. Inquiries with the Florida Healthy Kids program in Tallahassee that provides subsidized health coverage for children under18 years from low income families, also showed increased demand from South Florida families. Over 50 percent of these applications were approved.
Another means of getting health coverage is through the Medicare program which provides coverage for legal residents 65 years and over. However, even this is unaffordable to some residents. Kitty Roames, Bahamian resident of Coconut Grove, says she qualifies for Original Medicare that provides hospital and physician coverage, but she cannot afford the required $96.40 monthly premium. Like many residents in the community she wrongly assumed Medicare was free. However, people earning $82,000 or below are required to pay the premium, or try for Medicaid if they have no income. Nineteen percent of those interviewed by National Weekly admitted to being qualified for Medicare, but 29 percent said they cannot afford the monthly premium, and remain without adequate health coverage.
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