Announcement

May 1, 2006

For Immediate Release
For More Information, contact
Molly Kaser
517/784-3950

43% of Michigan Adults Without Insurance
Are Unable to Access Health Care

Two new reports confirm that there is a significant gap in the frequency of health care accessed by people who do and do not have health care coverage (1).  Michigan uninsured adults are nearly four times more likely not to see a doctor when they need to compared to people who have health coverage.

These reports identify the extent of disparities in access to health care between insured and uninsured Americans. The findings confirm that not receiving needed medical care is taking a toll on the millions of Americans who do not have health coverage.

The percentage of working-age Americans with moderate to middle incomes who lacked health insurance for at least part of the year rose to 41 percent in 2005, a dramatic increase from the 28 percent in 2001 without coverage.
Moreover, more than half of the uninsured adults said they were having problems paying their medical bills, with 20 percent of working adults paying off medical debt —often $2,000 or more.
The study also found that people without insurance were more likely to forgo recommended health screenings such as mammograms than those with coverage, and were less likely to have a regular doctor than their insured counterparts.

The study also found that 59 percent of uninsured with chronic conditions such as asthma or diabetes either skipped a dose of their medicine or went without it to save money.  For those with a chronic illness, lack of health care coverage can be more than inconvenient – it can be fatal.  Take for example, people with diabetes.  More than 1 in every 7 adults in Michigan has diabetes.

The Center for Family Health (CFH), a non profit health center, provided care to more than 20,000 patients in 2005.  More than 600 of these patients have diabetes.

Like most chronic diseases, diabetes affects the low-income, uninsured and racial minorities disproportionately.  Of the diabetic patients CFH physicians cared for, 26% had Medicaid coverage and more than 40% had no health insurance.  For diabetics, supplies to monitor their glucose levels are crucial to controlling the disease.

These supplies average $100 every month – an amount that many people are unable to afford. Local pharmacies report that senior citizens have been resorting to shoplifting test strips. 

The Center for Family Health has begun raising money to support a “scholarship” program for uninsured diabetics.  With the help of several pharmacies and local Jackson businesses, Center for Family Health patients who qualify will receive their diabetic supplies free or at a fraction of the retail price. 

Diabetics jeopardize their health because they cannot afford the supplies to monitor the glucose levels, so it is not done.  Diabetics who don’t monitor their glucose levels and manage their disease are more likely to end up in the emergency room.

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