More people will lose their health insurance as U.S. economy weakens
25 02 09 - 11:52
Institute sees more Americans losing insurance
By Will Dunham - Reuters
WASHINGTON, Feb 24 (Reuters) - More Americans will lose their health insurance as the economy weakens, health care becomes more expensive and fewer employers offer coverage, the U.S. Institute of Medicine said in a report on Tuesday.
The institute, an independent research organization that advises U.S. policymakers, said safety-net services such as charity care and hospital emergency rooms cannot be relied upon to meet the needs of people without insurance.
An institute panel urged the White House and Congress to take urgent steps to ensure all Americans have coverage. The government says 45.7 million Americans, or 15 percent, had no public or private health insurance in 2007.
President Barack Obama on Monday announced a summit on health care next week and his budget director said reducing health-care costs was critical to the economy. Obama also was expected to discuss his health-care goals during his address to a joint session of Congress later on Tuesday.
"The evidence clearly shows that lack of health insurance is hazardous to one's health, and the situation is getting worse because of the erosion of employment-based health coverage due to the current economic crisis," said Lawrence Lewin, a health care consultant who led the institute panel.
The government projects the nation will spend $2.5 trillion on health care this year, compared to $912 billion in 1993.
Employer-provided insurance has been the cornerstone of private health coverage in the United States, with an estimated 160 million Americans getting their insurance this way.