Letters to the Editor

Health of its Residents Must Remain a Priority for California

September 28, 2001

California was not directly hit by the recent terrorist attacks, but some of the state's most vulnerable citizens may suffer from the assault nonetheless.

In 2000, the tourism industry generated an estimated $75.4 billion in economic activity for California. More than 1

million people depend on the tourism industry for jobs, including restaurants, accommodations, retail sales, and travel arrangements. Now that the industry has become stagnant in the wake of the attack, these people may find themselves unemployed and suddenly without health insurance.

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. 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.

California has tried to reduce the number of uninsured with programs like the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), statewide waivers to expand Medicaid and employer purchasing alliances. With 24 percent of the population without coverage, a more aggressive and encompassing strategy needs to be implemented.

Congress is taking steps toward a solution in the form of the economic stimulus bill. The House passed republican bill gives states block grants totaling three billion to help insure the jobless. While this is a step in the right direction, more must be done. The Senate democratic plan gives a 50 percent subsidy to the jobless for the purchase of health care insurance, provides an additional thirteen weeks of unemployment benefits, and allows for additional coverage through Medicaid.

Alternative ways to reduce the staggering numbers of the uninsured should also be considered. One such approach involves providing tax credits for the purchase of health insurance. Those with no tax liability would receive the credit in the form of a tax rebate. An advance payment option would allow the credit to be paid directly to an insurance company. Extending transitional coverage for SCHIP enrollees who lose eligibility is another possibility.

National security has rightfully moved to the forefront of the congressional agenda. Still, the number of uninsured presents a clear danger to the nation's health. Our government must pass a broad and aggressive bill to ease the suffering of those who have been affected by these lean economic times.

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