Study: Uninsured cannot pay hospital bills, pass costs onto other Americans: News of the Day
by Press Staff
A new report released the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shows that most families without health insurance cannot pay their hospital bills, leaving hospitals with unpaid tabs of up to $73 billion per year. On average, uninsured families, even those living well above the poverty line, pay only about 12% of their hospital bills in full. Families of four earning $89,4500 per year -- above 400% of the poverty level -- still only pay 37% of their hospital bills in full.
“Health insurance is critical in helping protect families from
unexpected hospital costs,” said Sherry Glied, HHS assistant secretary
for planning and evaluation. “This report shows that even higher income
uninsured families are struggling to meet the high costs of health
care. No family should bear the burden of being one illness or accident
away from bankruptcy.”
Republican’s plan to end Medicare would foist these problems onto seniors, throwing them to the whims of the private insurance market. A report released last week found that a 54-year-old today will have to save an additional $182,000 in their IRA or 401(k) before retirement just to pay for their plan to eliminate Medicare. Under the GOP plan, the Congressional Budget Office found that seniors shoulder most of cost of private insurance – that is if private insurance companies are even willing to write an affordable policy for a 70 year old with a heart condition.
