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¶ … Uninsured Population
Healthcare
The health of a population is not only based on the strength of its health care professionals and diagnostic capabilities -- to a great extent, the health of a population is shaped by factors that exist outside of its health care system, this includes the health and well-being of the underinsured (Wakefield, 2010). Community health and its development require strong support networks and supportive social environments, education and a literate population, good working conditions, a stable physical environment and a strong culture, amongst other things. Together, these "Social Determinants of Health" are what shape the health of a population, and people should not be segregated in categories depending on their insurance (Mahar, 2010).
The overall risk to healthcare facilities will not increase substantially if the rate of uninsured continues to rise at the rate of 2-3% over the next five years. This is because of two reasons. Uninsured patients are either treated in emergency care or they are admitted to the hospital (Kaye, 2004). Even if the intake of uninsured patients increases in the emergency care by 2-3%, there will not be an increase in risk. Even if the entire emergency area is occupied by the uninsured and they do not pay, Healthcare facilities are capable to supporting the service. On the other hand when uninsured patients are admitted they have to make a down payment called advance payment. This payment is adjusted according to the charitable funds available with healthcare facilities. When there are no available funds, this advance can be increased to such an extent that it covers the entire estimated cost of treatment. The financial risk is reduced.
The overall risk in case of underinsured patients is high. Almost all insurance plans do not provide full coverage of the hospital bill. There are co-payments and deductibles that must be paid by patients when they are discharged (Kaye, 2004). With increasing number of underinsured...
Ordinarily, the policy of Healthcare facilities is that bills should be paid 10 days after the insurance payment is received. Still, the payment is required to be paid by the patient at the time of discharge. The business office of the Healthcare facilities stops patients at the time of discharge for the payment of their dues.
There are five key initiatives that will be discussed for meeting these risks. The first initiative is that the Healthcare facilities should increase its drive for donations so that it can bear the cost of unpaid bills related to the treatment of its patients. This increase is being recommended because of the anticipated increase in the percentage of uninsured and underinsured patients (Kaye, 2004). The second initiative is that State Government Grants should be applied for. The purpose of these funds will be to finance the cost of an increasing number of uninsured and underinsured patients. The third initiative is administrative in nature. Healthcare facilities business office should check with the insurance carrier the benefits the person gets from the policy before he is admitted. The business office should ask for an advance towards the uncovered portion of the insurance policy ("Improving Health Care," 2004). This will help reduce the risk of underinsured patients. The fourth initiative is that there should be fixed geographical area around the hospital from which uninsured and underinsured patients are accepted. This geographical limitation will not only limit the number of uninsured or underinsured patients that are treated at Healthcare facilities but will also ensure that is it relatively easy to collect debts from such persons.
The fifth initiative is that there should be collaboration with local clinics like the Raymond Bandy clinic where uninsured patients can be sent if the number of uninsured patients is very high.
The initiatives should detail the…
References
Improving Health Care Access for the Uninsured and Underinsured (2004). Human Services Advisory Committee. A Report presented to the Dakota County Board of Commissioners.
Kaye, D.(2004), Uninsured Risks: Meeting the Special Challenges of an Organization Facing Potentially Destructive Damage, The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance, 29(3); p. 503-511.
Mahar, M. (2009). Counting the Uninsured. Healthbeat. Retrieved on Nov 28, 2010 from http://www.healthbeatblog.com/2009/09/counting-the-uninsured-1.html
Tanner. L, (2007), "Boom Times in Denton County," Dallas Business Journal, Retrieved from: http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2007/06/11/focus2.html on June 12, 2008.
financial impact vulnerable population. Consider: o the impact age groups, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic education level o Health illness trends, disease morbidity mortality population o Health care service, acute care, long-term care, nursing home, home health, hospice • Description funding assist population. Vulnerable populations The terms vulnerable populations refers to the groups of people who are not properly integrated into the health care system as a result of their cultural, geographic, ethnic,
Population The accessibility and affordability of medical care is significantly promoted and influenced by health insurance since it protects against risks of costly and unexpected medical events. However, many underinsured Americans i.e. both the uninsured and those with inadequate health coverage experience difficulties in acquiring and paying for care services. Consequently, the plight of this population has become a major aspect for the national health care reform throughout the country.
Uninsured | Healthcare The Uninsured in the United States According to Newport and Mendez (2009) about 17.3% of the American population does not have health insurance. The uninsured are seen in families that work. Studies show that 51% of the families have a working household head that are employed full-time and worked for a full year. These uninsured groups work in firms where insurance coverage is not available, dependant coverage is not available,
Another factor, which increases the number of working uninsured, is the increase of healthcare costs. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, employees costs have risen by 47% and employers have seen a 20% increase. The employee's higher percentage can be attributed to the fact that employers are shifting some of the increased costs to the employee through higher deductibles and increase co-payments. The U.S. government, at both the state and
Health Disparities of Uninsured Statistics show that approximately 47 million of America's population lacks medical coverage, and another 38 million has inadequate health insurance. What these statistics imply is that one-third of Americans are insecure and unsure about whether they would afford healthcare if they fell sick or needed medical help today. The State of Texas tops the list, with an uninsured population of approximately 8 million, representing 25.1% of the
Polls examining public support of the bill and specifically the public healthcare option vary significantly. With regard to physicians, the New England Journal of Medicine surveyed over six thousand medical doctors and found there was a majority in favor of federally provided public healthcare insurance (Keyhani & Federman). Other polls have suggested an opposition to the public option (Marmor). The public option would provide an affordable alternative to the current