9 million Americans lost health insurance from 2001 to 2003

[G_j]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0803-03.htm

Published on Tuesday, August 3, 2004 by the Hartfort Courant (Connecticut)
Study: Millions Have Lost Coverage
by John A. MacDonald

WASHINGTON -- Nearly 9 million Americans lost their employer-provided health insurance from 2001 to 2003, with low-income workers and Latinos feeling the biggest impact, says a study released today.

The economic downturn that started in 2001, as well as a 28 percent increase in the cost of insurance, spurred the coverage decline, the study says. The stronger economy now emerging could halt the slide but is unlikely to lead to a substantial increase in coverage over the long term.

"Health care costs - and health insurance premiums - continue to outpace workers' incomes by a large margin," said Bradley C. Strunk, co-author of the study released by the Center for Studying Health System Change, a nonpartisan research group. "Such rapid growth will continue to strain employers and make private insurance less and less affordable."

Health care has emerged as a key economic issue in the presidential campaign, and the new figures are likely to reinforce its importance. Democratic candidate John F. Kerry has advanced a plan that would significantly reduce the number of uninsured - now 44 million - but would require repealing the tax cuts for wealthy Americans that President Bush pushed through Congress. The president has defended the tax cuts while offering a proposal that would modestly lower the number of uninsured.

A recent Gallup Poll showed Americans, by 54 percent to 37 percent, believe Kerry would do a better job than Bush on health care.
..more..

[cthrumatrix]

1. you don't see the press waisting time with educating the people on this

[lottie244]

2. This is the real "terrorism" against Americans

What this administration does against Americans is worse then 9/11 because it affects millions.

[G_j]

3. as Kucinich would say:

a WMD

[eridani]

4. And he also said

We are already paying for universal health care--we just aren't getting it.