Thursday, January 21, 1999
Uninsured populace grows
HEALTHCARE: Study finds many non-elderly people, particularly
immigrants, lack medical aid
By Hemesh Patel
Daily Bruin Contributor
In a study released by the UCLA Center for Health Policy
Research this fall, researchers found that nearly one-fifth of the
nation’s non-elderly lack health insurance.
The study, led by E. Richard Brown, director of the Center for
Health Policy Research, examined 85 metropolitan statistical areas
(MSAs), holding populations of more than 500,000, with people aged
up to 64 years.
Among areas studied, the number of uninsured people varied
widely. With 39 percent of its residents without insurance, El
Paso, Texas, ranked the highest, while Knoxville, Tenn., had the
lowest rate – at 7 percent.
"We found that the number of uninsured people grew at a monthly
rate of 5,000 a month, increasing to a total of 7 million in 1997,"
Brown said.
Brown said there are several reasons why people aren’t getting
health insurance. Many lose their coverage when newly employed,
while some are immigrants who are afraid to enroll with insurance
because of the Immigration and Naturalization Services (INS).
Over one-fourth of the population lacking insurance are
naturalized citizens, legal residents or undocumented immigrants.
For this community, health insurance could increase the risk of
complications with the INS.
Many immigrants without health insurance include Latinos, which
made up 33 percent of the population in areas lacking insurance.
They also made up 4 percent of the population in areas where health
coverage is prevalent.
"Rates of uninsurance (in the non-elderly population) are higher
because of lower-than-average job-based coverage rates," said
Rebecka Levan, one of the report’s authors.
In addition, the study found that, among areas with low
job-based coverage rates, 15 percent of the residents are in
non-working families.
Levan said the majority of those without health insurance tend
to be located in the northeast and southwest regions of the
country.
Cities with high rates of uninsured citizens included Los
Angeles, Houston, Tucson and New York, while cities with low rates
included Knoxville, Omaha, Minneapolis and Pittsburgh.
According to the study, areas without insurance coverage tended
to have more small businesses, which were less likely to offer
health benefits.
"The decline in medical coverage is disturbing because the
proportion of the state’s poverty has increased over the years, and
many can’t afford what employers require them to pay," Brown said.
This leads directly to decreased healthcare and affects children
and those with chronic illnesses.
According to the study, efforts made by states such as
Tennessee, Minnesota, Washington, Massachusetts and Hawaii to
extend health coverage to more low-income residents seem to be
paying off.
The new federal Children’s Health Insurance Program, for
example, gives various states the opportunity and funding needed to
provide coverage to uninsured children.
Efforts made by states, however, will not witness quick
results.
Brown said, the problem is "not going to be solved by the market
place," and that publicly funded coverage is needed.
This is the third annual report on health insurance issued by
the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. California relies on
the center for information concerning health insurance, because of
the efforts of Brown and his colleagues.
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