A report released Tuesday is a perfect example of why lawmakers in Wisconsin, and nationally, must work harder to make sure more people are insured.
The report, released by Families USA, shows five uninsured adults between the ages of 25 and 64 in the state of Wisconsin die every week due to lack of health insurance. The estimates are based on applying two earlier national studies to state-level data.
In 2006, there were nearly 3 million people between the ages of 25 and 64 living in Wisconsin. Of those, 10.7 percent were uninsured. The uninsured are sicker and die sooner than their insured counterparts.
Across the United States, in 2006, twice as many people died from a lack of health insurance than from homicide.
Uninsured adults are more likely to be diagnosed with a disease in advanced stage, because they don't seek preventative health care treatment. Uninsured Americans are as much as four times less likely to have a regular source of care than the insured.
Uninsured Americans are more than three times as likely as insured adults to delay seeking medical care. They also are up to three times more likely to report having problems getting needed medical care.
Uninsured Americans between the ages 55 and 64 are at much greater risk of premature death than their insured counterparts. This makes uninsurance the third leading cause of death for the near-elderly, following heart disease and cancer.
"This important report ... helps quantify the human toll of the health care crisis here in Wisconsin," said Linda Honold, executive director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin, a national partner of Families USA. "This is a hidden tragedy that can only be remedied by real health care reform."
Health care reform with meaningful results for the uninsured and underinsured has been elusive nationwide. Access continues to decline while health care costs rise at an eye-popping rate.
In Wisconsin, there has been some progress made, most notably the BadgerCare and BadgerCare Plus programs. The latter, passed this year, covers 98 percent of Wisconsin children, an important accomplishment for state government.
But beyond that, progress has been stuck in a philosophical battle between Republicans and Democrats about health care costs and access should be reformed.
Democrats, like Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Waunakee, believe health care is a right for all and should be mandated by state government. Republicans call that state-run health care, rejecting the idea without discussing it.
Republicans, like Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, believe health savings accounts, tax incentives and health care cooperatives are the way to fix the problem. Democrats say that just helps the wealthy and the health care industry without addressing access and cost issues, rejecting the ideas without discussing them.
Tuesday's report should further reinforce the need for lawmakers to stop politicking on health care and start studying and discussing the options proposed. It would be nice to think that Wisconsin could find a way to be a national leader in health care reform for everyone, as it has with BadgerCare for children.
From day one of the next session, health care should be priority one.
People's lives depend on it.
The report, released by Families USA, shows five uninsured adults between the ages of 25 and 64 in the state of Wisconsin die every week due to lack of health insurance. The estimates are based on applying two earlier national studies to state-level data.
In 2006, there were nearly 3 million people between the ages of 25 and 64 living in Wisconsin. Of those, 10.7 percent were uninsured. The uninsured are sicker and die sooner than their insured counterparts.
Across the United States, in 2006, twice as many people died from a lack of health insurance than from homicide.
Uninsured adults are more likely to be diagnosed with a disease in advanced stage, because they don't seek preventative health care treatment. Uninsured Americans are as much as four times less likely to have a regular source of care than the insured.
Uninsured Americans are more than three times as likely as insured adults to delay seeking medical care. They also are up to three times more likely to report having problems getting needed medical care.
Uninsured Americans between the ages 55 and 64 are at much greater risk of premature death than their insured counterparts. This makes uninsurance the third leading cause of death for the near-elderly, following heart disease and cancer.
"This important report ... helps quantify the human toll of the health care crisis here in Wisconsin," said Linda Honold, executive director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin, a national partner of Families USA. "This is a hidden tragedy that can only be remedied by real health care reform."
Health care reform with meaningful results for the uninsured and underinsured has been elusive nationwide. Access continues to decline while health care costs rise at an eye-popping rate.
In Wisconsin, there has been some progress made, most notably the BadgerCare and BadgerCare Plus programs. The latter, passed this year, covers 98 percent of Wisconsin children, an important accomplishment for state government.
But beyond that, progress has been stuck in a philosophical battle between Republicans and Democrats about health care costs and access should be reformed.
Democrats, like Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Waunakee, believe health care is a right for all and should be mandated by state government. Republicans call that state-run health care, rejecting the idea without discussing it.
Republicans, like Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, believe health savings accounts, tax incentives and health care cooperatives are the way to fix the problem. Democrats say that just helps the wealthy and the health care industry without addressing access and cost issues, rejecting the ideas without discussing them.
Tuesday's report should further reinforce the need for lawmakers to stop politicking on health care and start studying and discussing the options proposed. It would be nice to think that Wisconsin could find a way to be a national leader in health care reform for everyone, as it has with BadgerCare for children.
From day one of the next session, health care should be priority one.
People's lives depend on it.
