Fast Fact

More Uninsured Children

Terrance Heath — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 17:32:12 -0400

In 2006, 11.7% of children, or 8.7 million kids, went without health insurance. That's up from the previous year, when 10.9%, or 8 million children, were uninsured.

Americans Lack Health Insurance

Alex Carter — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:39:50 -0400

47 million Americans lacked health insurance in 2006, up from 38 million in 2000.

Health Insurance Costs Double

Armand Biroonak — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:02:03 -0400

The cost of health insurance has nearly doubled during the Bush Administration.

The Underinsured Rises Dramatically

Armand Biroonak — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:16:30 -0400

25 million Americans are underinsured. The number of people who have insurance that does not adequately protect them from high medical expenses has risen dramatically. Between 2003 and 2007, the number of underinsured adults increased by 60 percent.

Middle-Income Families Losing Insurance Coverage

Armand Biroonak — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:09:45 -0400

Middle income families losing insurance coverage largely make up the surge of uninsured Americans. For adults with incomes above 200 percent of the federal poverty level (about $42,000 per year for a family), the underinsured rate nearly tripled since 2003.

Americans Uninsured Has Increased by Millions

Armand Biroonak — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:04:06 -0400

More and more Americans are uninsured. The number of uninsured in America has increased from 38 million in 2000 to 47 million today, a figure that includes 9 million children.

Deductibles and Co-Pays Increase

Armand Biroonak — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:58:57 -0400

Insurance deductibles and co-pays have dramatically increased. Between 2001 and 2005, the average deductible for a conventional fee-for-service health plan increased from $598 to $1,192. During the same period, patients were forced to pay larger co-pays for visits to a doctor and for prescription drugs.

Health Care Premiums Skyrocket

Armand Biroonak — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:51:07 -0400

Health care premiums are skyrocketing. From 2000 to 2007, the cost of employer-sponsored insurance increased from $6,438 to $12,106 for family coverage. Adjusted for inflation, that’s a 56 percent increase to cover a family of four.

Medicare becoming more cost-efficient

Robert Dorst2 — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 12:22:49 -0400

Medicare cost savings rose to $1.2 billion in 2006 from $136 million in 2001

Pharmacy Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Contributes to High Costs for Medicare Part D

Robert Dorst2 — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:50:17 -0400

Approximately 1 percent of prescription costs are likely due to fraud, waste, or abuse. This amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars in unnecessary costs for the Medicare Part D program and its beneficiaries.