ABC News profiles teens living with chronic diseases, and examines their insurance coverage and the cost of such care. The article notes: "Chronic diseases affect 1 in 10 Americans and are the leading cause of disability, accounting for 70 percent of all deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They are also expensive."
"Harvard University study indicates that 60 percent of all personal bankruptcies in the U.S. were health related - and that was in 2005, two years before the recession took hold. The total cost of cardiovascular diseases and stroke in the U.S. was estimated to be $475.3 billion, according to the AHA, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
ABC News also notes the financial strains put on families: "These middle-class families report that they are dropped by their insurance companies when they get too sick, and are either denied coverage because of 'pre-existing conditions' or face astronomical premiums" (James, 9/30).
Source-Kaiser Health News
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Holding Onto Insurance That Works
As part of the continuing series, Are You Covered? Kaiser Health News and NPR profile Dave Koenig. He has a job with good benefits.
As part of the continuing series, Are You Covered? Kaiser Health News and NPR profile Dave Koenig. He has a job with good benefits.
Employer-Based Insurance Explained
Most Americans, 162 million, get health insurance through their employers. Sixty percent of employers offer health benefits, according to a new survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation...
Most Americans, 162 million, get health insurance through their employers. Sixty percent of employers offer health benefits, according to a new survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation...
The 'Underinsurance' Problem Explained
People who are described as underinsured have health benefits that don’t adequately cover their medical expenses.
People who are described as underinsured have health benefits that don’t adequately cover their medical expenses.
