Letters to the Editor

Vermont Must Continue Trend to Lower Numbers of the Uninsured

October 1, 2001

Thousands lost their lives in the September terrorist attacks, but as the full ramifications unfold, even more are losing their way of life. Unemployment projections continue to skyrocket, and these new victims find themselves without a job and without health insurance.

Hope comes from our state. Senator Jeffords has recently introduced legislation to expand the Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Budget Act (COBRA). Under the current COBRA plan, the recently unemployed can retain their health insurance plan under their employers policy for up to 18 months, but the employer is not required to pay any of the premium. At a time when income has been dramatically reduced, many families cannot afford to pay this added expense.

Participation in COBRA depends on its affordability. Jeffords' legislation provides an extra nine months of coverage and offers an individual tax credit to help pay for the policy with up to a 50 percent premium subsidy.

In order to take advantage of COBRA coverage, the first payment must be made within 90 days. Jeffords' legislation includes an advance payment option that allows the credit to be paid directly to the insurance company and makes the tax credit refundable so those with no tax liability will still receive the credit. Tax credits reduce the premium a person would have to pay, thus making health insurance more affordable.

Health insurance is not a luxury, but a necessity of life. People without health insurance tend to live sicker and die younger than those with coverage. The American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine (ACP-ASIM) completed a series of reports in 2000 which found that uninsured Americans are three times more likely to be hospitalized for diabetes and three times more likely to die in hospitals than those with health insurance. Uninsured women between the ages of 50-64, compared to the insured, are two times less likely to have had a recent mammogram and pap test.

At 6 percent, Vermont has the lowest number of uninsured children in the nation. This is a statistic our state should be proud of. Children lacking coverage are six times more likely than children with insurance to have gone without needed medical, dental, or other health care in any given year, and are up to 40 percent less likely to receive medical attention for a serious injury.

In this time of national sorrow, it is comforting to know that our state is leading the fight for universal health coverage.

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