Recession Leaves Many Children Uninsured

Families Are Losing Health Insurance, And Federal Programs Aren't Picking Up The Slack

(CBS)  At first blush, you'd think Shaunna Terry does pretty well. She drives a nice car, and has a nice house.

Trouble is, the house isn't hers - Shaunna's a realtor in Austin - desperate to unload any one of several high-end homes in the middle of a market bust, reports CBS News correspondent Kelly Cobiella.

"When a house doesn't sell, you don't get a paycheck?" Cobiella asked.

"Don't get a paycheck," Shaunna said.

With her six-figure annual income a distant memory, health insurance for this single mom and her two daughters has become a luxury they've decided to do without.

"We weren't needing to go to the doctor's, so I was like, 'should we have insurance premiums or should we do food?' So unfortunately, I've decided to kind of let that lapse," Shaunna said.

"So you rolled the dice?" Cobiella asked.

"I rolled the dice," Shaunna said.

While Shaunna worried about her girls getting sick, her youngest was worried about her.

"I worry a lot about her and what she's going through," Alyssa said.

"Does she know you worry a lot?" Cobiella asked.

"No, I don't really show it," Alyssa said.

But 9 year-old Alyssa couldn't hide an ear infection last March. Shaunna had no choice but to take a $100 trip to the doctor, plus antibiotics. When it came to the follow-up visit, she balked.

"You wait it out a little bit just to kind of see," Saunna said. "'Do I absolutely need to do this?'"

Within weeks, Alyssa was sick again, this time with aches and a 104-degree fever.

"It started getting worse," Alyssa said.

"Did you feel like you didn't want to go to the doctor?" Cobiella asked.

"No, I wanted to because I knew they would take care of me and get me better," Alyssa said.

"Was there any mom guilt?" Cobiella asked.

"Very big," Shaunna said. "You know, feel like you didn't do what you're supposed to be doing for your children."

That's when the school nurse told Shaunna about the Children's Health Express Van, a pediatrician's office on wheels, with no insurance forms and no fees.

There are 37 more mobile medical clinics like it in 15 states across the country. Originally intended to serve low-income, under-privileged children, the mobile medical units are seeing more parents like Shauna come in every day, who've lost their insurance, lost their job, or both.

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Click here for a list of Children's Health Fund mobile medical units

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"We say to them, 'We'll be your pediatrician until you're in a more stable situation,'" said Dr. Irwin Redlener.

The medi-vans are provided by Children's Health Fund - co-founded by pediatrician and Columbia University professor, Irwin Redlener.

"When we have a situation like this recession, where we have a mounting up of barriers for families, it really increases the chances that children will fall through the cracks," Redlener said.

One safety net is supposed to be the federally funded CHIP program, recently reauthorized by President Obama. But of the estimated 8 million children currently uninsured, CHIP is expected to cover only half. Finding out whether your kids are eligible can be complicated - and time consuming. Dr. Redlener says, kids can't wait.

"For children, a temporary loss of access to health care can have lifelong consequences," Redlener said. "Because, in that absence, we may miss something very critical to a developing child."

And even though her ear infection is all but gone, Alyssa Terry says she still doesn't feel normal.

"When you're sick for so long, when you get back to yourself, you don't feel the same," she said. "You feel like someone different."

"Really? What do you mean by that?" Cobiella asked.

"You just want to walk when you usually run," Alyssa said. "And you don't want to do your sports or anything like that. You just want to relax."

A big change for something that started so small, and another consequence for children of the recession.

[chris451cbs]

Oh boo hoo for her. This story seems to be trying to promote national health care. Get ready for something that works like the Department of motor vehicles - in UK they get denied care and get long wait times. Great! Also if you take money from tthe feds they get to tell you how to do things. Do you want them telling you what to eat? And how will they pay for it? get ready for a huge tax increase, they will tax your health care insurance at work as imputed income and it will raise your taxable income 15-20%. Oh so Obama is doing what he said he won't do, raise my taxes?? Thanks for saying one thing and doing another!

[tommynutz]

People are almost better off getting a divorce, so the system does not track the parents income together, then having one parent get fired from their job, then going on medicaid with the kids.

Marrige IS a big penalty in this day in age. A husband or wife who makes 35K while the other one does not work, along with two kids, and they are way above the limit for medicaid already.

[Dgunner]

When you work in a profeesion that pay on commision sale. If you are a parent you have the added pressure of the welfare and the mental impact you project toward your children when your markets slows or fails.This woman stated she rooled the dice! Well she rolled the dice evry morning when she got out of bed to pursue the quick big bucks of selling a home. When the bills are nearing due date and no commision in sight and nothing in thw works. You take the added presurre of knowing that your children are most likely going to do without . This effects your performance and potential buyers pick up on this through your body language the tone of your voice and by listening to you speak about your family and your chioldrens interests.. The consumer is smarter than most commission sales people give thier credit fo being. I have several relatives who WERE in commisson sales for years until they realized they were in essemnce ROLLING THE DICE with the well being of thier families. This type of proffession is either feast or famine. Don't blame the market don't blame the tax structure don't blame the ineterest rates for your kids not being insured . BLAME YOURSELF for not having enough guts and self esteem to go forth find income through another avenue. Stop abusing your children by proxy and put on some jeans a little less make up put away your airs and humble your ego and walk into a restaurant and get a job washing dishes or waiting tables. The vivsions of granduer that drive you to continually dedicate yourself to beating the dead horse into standing up will and does destroy your family put undeserved stress on a child that should be enjoying thier childhood not worrying about thier mother and wondering if they will be doing thier homework by candle light.

[dfnj2009]

Now that the economy is DESTROYED, maybe it's time to close our 700+ foreign military base we have around the world we so desparately need to protect us from having our economy DESTROYED!

[cdegolier]

So where did that six figure salary go? Did she not bother to save any? My salary and my husbands have never equaled six figures and I have enough savings to cover 7 months of mortgage payments if one of us loses our job. I can't feel for this woman, lower the price, lower your commission, investors are eating up properties all over.

[rwassel]

aghast101 -

Are you aware that this idea was only proposed by a newspaper writer as an editorial for the Washington Times? (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/19/different-way-to-pay-for-health-reform/)

You might want to actually read the things you cite, as well as investigate the source, before you start making wild accusations, Einstein.

[aghast101]

Strike-Hold


SO YOU COMPUTE THAT

""AN IDEA BEING FLOATED AROUND""


BY SOME CLOWN AT SOME THINK TANK IS THE SAME AS THE DEMOCRATS

PUTTING FORTH LEGISLATION FOR A TAX INCREASE???

I'D SAY THAT YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU READ OR HOW THINGS WORK,


MORE REPUBLI'CON' PROPAGANDA, ANOTHER KARL ROVE LIAR, THATS ALL THIS IS

The Washington Post is not a conservitive publication. Read the artical before you condim me. Get your facts right first.

[LOL_AT_CBS]

This story SICKENS me as an Austinite who has been renting for the last 15 years because PIGS like this realtor have kept housing prices so INFLATED I can't own a home. THIS IS YOUR BED SO LIE IN IT YOU DUMB BROAD! YOU CREATED THIS SITUATION! If I wasn't smack dab in the middle of it, I'd have to laugh.

[LOL_AT_CBS]

OH YEAH! And the dummy forgot to mention that REALTORS in Austin won't lower their housing prices.

IF YOU WANT TO SELL A DAMN HOME, TELL THE STUPID SELLER TO DROP THE DAMN PRICE!

This idiot wants to take a cardboard box that she bought for $1.00, put a bow on it, and sell it for $500.00, then complain when everyone turns their nose up at the box.

Sell the Volvo and BUY A CLUE!

[aghast101]

"And the Dem's want to increase the cost of everything by 25%. Instant inflation"

aghast101 -

Would you be able to point me to the source that you read that cites this? I'm just curious - thanks!
Posted by rwassel at 6:47 AM : May 29, 2009

It's called VAT (Value Added Tax) a proposal being floated to pay for universal Healthy care. This was discussed on the evening news last night.

Quote from the Washington Post
By Lori Montgomery
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
?And in a paper published last month in the Virginia Tax Review, Burman suggests that a 25 percent VAT could do it all: Pay for health-care reform, balance the federal budget and exempt millions of families from the income tax while slashing the top rate to 25 percent. A gallon of milk would jump from $3.69 to $4.61, and a $5,000 bathroom renovation would suddenly cost $6,250, but the nation's debt would stabilize and everybody could see a doctor.?

[whatsup49]

mrs_trepidatious, you're such a bufo. you're very entertaining with your high-falutin' religious connotations in everything you write (and probably believe). however, god doesn't strike children nor adults with illness, at least the god i believe in doesn't. if your god does, then he's not a very giving or forgiving god. i feel sorry for you that you're so wrapped up in your religion that it's warped your mind.

[LOL_AT_CBS]

You're thinking of Jesus. Jesus loves the little children. God tests you by saying he wants you to kill your son and while the knife is at his throat says, "Just kidding, LOL!"

[aghast101]

"And the Dem's want to increase the cost of everything by 25%. Instant inflation"

aghast101 -

Would you be able to point me to the source that you read that cites this? I'm just curious - thanks!
Posted by rwassel at 6:47 AM : May 29, 2009

It's called VAT (Value Added Tax) a proposal being floated to pay for universal Healthy care. This was discussed on the evening news last night.

[rwassel]

"And the Dem's want to increase the cost of everything by 25%. Instant inflation"

aghast101 -

Would you be able to point me to the source that you read that cites this? I'm just curious - thanks!

[npkppprc]

Good idea eclecticman1,let your parent's or grandparents die so a child or illegal alien can have medical care. What about the millions who have a nice car, big screen TV's and
toys who choose not to buy medical insurance, not because of the expense but of what they would have to give up. The news needs to report on the real world.

[aghast101]

But wait the DEM's want to increase the cost of everything by 25%. WOW! instant inflation.

[aghast101]

And the Dem's want to increase the cost of everything by 25%. Instant inflation

[eclecticman1]

You know something is wrong with a medical system when the largest portion of money spent on it is used up in the last six months of a person's life. Put the money on the children and they will lead healthful, productive lives. Us 70 year old's should not be getting the lion's share.

[YCantWeAllGetAlong]

In my state, all children are eligible for the children's health program. Depending on your income, the policy can be free or there is a monthly stipend. I do not know how many states have the CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) but everyone should look into it. We have private health insurance through my spouse's employer, however, if anything were to happen, I would be able to obtain coverage for my children.

[lost_america]

Again,

The lack of living wage jobs with benefits is the root of the problem and the trillion dollars given to wall street and the banks has not produced any.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, thousands of tech jobs are going overseas to places like Bangalore India.

First it was the factory jobs, now it is tech jobs.

Where has our leadership been while this was happening?

Stuffing their own pockets from the short selling of the American economy.

I am all for national heath care, but, it will not solve the root of this problem.

[mrs_trepidatious]

Well then these children better go to church and refrain from sinning so God doesnt strike them with an illness as pestilence.

[afmcalax]

But wait Republicans have a plan ... a 5K tax credit for a 15K expense. Brilliant! Or even a better Repub arguement ... why were these kids so dumb to get born into families that could not afford health insurance. Blame the kids; not the system.