25 Million Have Insurance, But Not Enough

(CBS)  President Obama will be promoting health care reform this week in Virginia and North Carolina, and plans to keep the pressure on Congress during next month's recess. One argument for health care reform is that 47 million Americans are uninsured.

But not everyone knows that another 25 million are underinsured as CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller reports.

John Stewardson is up at dawn, working for the local 602 union in Washington, D.C. But by 11:30 a.m., he's home fixing lunch for his ailing wife Linda, a cancer survivor.

"I'm just going to have to take medicine for the rest of my life," she said.

Diagnosed with a brain tumor last summer, she's in remission. Now it's her family's financial health at stake. In March, their healthcare insurance capped-out at $150,000 of treatment, minimum coverage by industry standards.

The cost of treating cancer and its side effects demolished their life savings.

"It's like she fell out a cancer tree and hit every branch on the way down," John Stewardson said.

They owe more than $100,000 in medical bills.

Dr. Deepa Subramaniam is counseling more and more patients like Linda - forced to decide which treatments are worth the cost.

"I am trying to balance cost and effectiveness in her case," Subramaniam said. "You worry that somehow by choosing a treatment that is less expensive, that we are compromising the quality of the care."

Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., is leading the effort to push the affordable health choices act through the Senate. He supports a government insurance plan that eliminates lifetime and annual caps on all healthcare plans.

"The underinsured are a critical group," Dodd told Miller. "In some cases 53 percent don't know they're underinsured. So they either have a huge co-pay if the problem happens or the deductibles being so high they might as well not have insurance."

The Stewardsons were only offered one plan by the union - which left them uninsured after they reached the cap.

John calls his union and the Medicare offices every day, asking for supplemental coverage. He's had no luck so far.

Linda knows John's doing his best.

"He has to cook dinner, clean the house, get up and get me breakfast, help bathe me," she said.

She just wishes her healthcare was as dependable.

[johnatgmail]

I have been a member of a Trade Union- Steamfitters Local 602 in Washington, DC for about 19 years. Our members pay about $10,000 per year to the Local Union for medical insurance. All members pay the same and receive the same benefits. There is catastrophic protection, but it is not for the individual memeber. Once you exceed the $150,000 cap you become essentialy uninsured and all medical bills are forwarded to the member. The member is still required to make weekly payments for the insurance even if they are not entitled to receive services. Do not assume that just because you are a Union Member that will necessarily receive adaquate protection. I have been unable to find a supplementary policy and the only option would be a new policy independant of my existing. My Union does not permit me to opt out and get my own policy.

[mary-miami]

We need healthcare reform, so everyone has access to doctors,dentists and optometrists....Many people suffer illness without the benefit of a checkup.
Even if a person would have to wait six months for treatment, it's better than never getting treatment at all. Some people haven't been to a doctor in years...This is immoral. Quality of life is as important as life itself.

[Tennessean4healthcare]

I am glad to see this story after learning that the big, corporate owned fast food company that employs my daughter offers "health insurace" to their store employees that only covers up to $1,500 for out-patient and $7,500 for hospital costs. After you reach those annual limits, you have no coverage. The policy is offered by a major insuror and has co-pays and deductibles, as well. For a family, the premiums are around $100 mo. That's not very affordable for workers making near minimum wage. Yes, many of the employees are young and healthy, but we all know that good health can be wiped out in one accident. No matter how well you eat or how much you exercise, you can still get swine flu and wind up in the hospital. One day in the hospital would cripple these folks financially. This is how insurers are trying to fool the American people. They are saying we have covered most workers, but for many the coverage is crappy and doesn't really offer the catastrophic protections they need. The Republicans want to provide tax credits of up to $5,000/family to let people buy insurance. Yet, family coverage premiums for members of Congress are between $700-$1,200 a month, and the taxpayers covers 2/3. So their tax credit wouldn't even cover half of the cost of the policies they have. So what do you think would happen if a $5,000 tax credit were enacted? Every major insurer would come out with a $5,000 plan, but would it protect the policyholders or the shareholders? You know the answer to that.

[panhandlpete]

The best HEALTH INSURANCE is to practice healthy living, and that means do it from birth forward. We are 'what we eat', so the focus should not be on the cost of insurance, but rather our lifestyles. I personally do not want the government, or anyone else, mandating what I MUST eat or if I should refrain from drinking, smoking or whatever. BUT, it is my fear that we can get ready for just that whenever the government promotes preventive health care. We can look for controls to be placed on the vitamin and supplement industry as well, as they take $$$$ from the pharmaceutical companies.

All the baby boomers need to make their votes count as they will be the first ones to feel the ramifications of health reform as most of the cost 'cutting' savings will come from Medicare. HOW will this occur? No specific details have been given. Will the doctors' fees be cut or will there be a set of guidelines for 'end of life' treatment limiting care? So maybe we have to face the reality of death more openly, and say that once you reach retirement age, you are on your own....LIVE or DIE.

No one is addressing the ER problem of all those 'uninsured illegals' and 'uninsured citizens' who use the hospitals for all their medical needs. Will these folks really take the time to get a personal physician when they can acquire health insurance? Gonna take a lot of REFORM!!!!!

Let's see.....do I roll up my sleeve and be the first to take that swine flu shot.....the one that the WHO has said "stop counting" the number of people dying, as it is to difficult to ascertain a correct figure. DUH!

Your healthcare reform may mandate what you HAVE to do to be covered!

[imprisoncheney]

Healthcare is the ultimate mafia extortion scheme, if you think about it.

Who wouldn't empty out their wallets to save their own life . . . or the life/lives of their loved ones, hmmmmm?

See? The simplest ideas are always the "best" ones . . . especially when you're trying to scam people.

Motto of the industry: Never give the patient an even break!!

Haha. The joke's on us.

[erasmus111]

by tautomer July 26, 2009 9:30 PM EDT
"Right to Life does not mean that you have a right have your life extended on everyone else's dime.


See, now here's the thing. You are already paying for the people that don't have insurance. You are paying big bucks. Here, EVERYONE has health care, and because everyone is paying, it means we are paying a lot less per person for those that can't afford it. We are paying WAAAAAY less than you. Even with our taxes being a little higher.

[hower4]

Isn't it strange! The consensus is that the American system doesn't work when people need it most (i.e. when they're unemployed, poor or old). The consensus in Britain is that their system DOES work for the most disadvantaged in society and those who can afford it have insurance anyway......... and STILL most Americans don't want a similar system. WHY??????????????

[erasmus111]

No, I think the majority DO want it. But it doesn't seem to matter what the majority wants in the U.S.

Most Americans don't even know what the British/Canadian health care system is about. And they aren't the same. But the point is that they don't even know what it's about, but they just don't want anything to do with it. They will post comments on what they think it's about, but they are wrong. They have been brainwashed. The insurance companies, drug companies want to keep you in the dark, so they can keep making big bucks off you.

[hower4]

.... but surely if most Americans would like a British-type healthcare system then the politicians would be backing it? I thought politicians always did whatever makes them popular, or do American politicians do whatever might make them rich?

[erasmus111]

by vitality4u July 27, 2009 4:20 AM EDT
It is the same in Australia and the UK. So why would the USA treat its citizens less fairly. Yes there are faults in the system. But I would still rather know if there was an emergency that we are all treated equally. My father had cancer 2 years ago. the treatment was amazing. He was flown down to the city for treatments and given priority treatment as he lived in the country. My stepfather just had a hip operation. Yes he had to wait 18months, total cost to him for operation $6.40. Yes no typo, $6.40. He paid his taxes all his working life. Supplied well for his family and bought his own house. Why should he loose it because he is getting old and needs support at the end of his life.


The U.S. has major corruption. It's basically owned by big CORRUPT corparations. It's all about the money. The people have lost control of their country. I'm beginning to think that they will not get it back.

Some think of our health care system as a "socialist" system. That word scares them. They have been brainwashed. They have a completely distorted view of our health care system.

[erasmus111]

sorry, "corparations" should be "corporations".

[abbe91]

"by tautomer July 26, 2009 9:30 PM EDT
Yes there is a "right to life". What it means is that nobody can deprive you of your life (something dems forget when it comes to Abortion). "Right to Life does not mean that you have a right have your life extended on everyone else's dime."

It's funny that you mention abortion in a debate about healthcare, since we have a worse infant mortality rate (I'm talking about the number of deaths among live births) than Cuba.

[erasmus111]

by taebok July 26, 2009 8:54 PM EDT
by HowVeryFunny
-------------
Rowdy, just because you type in caps doesn't make anything you say true



It doesn't matter whether it's in caps or what it is, she never tells the truth.