Bhs499_Senior_Capstone_Project

Touro University International Module One Session Long Project Problem Identification BHS499 Senior Capstone Project David Louis Dr. James Ivey 05 January 2011 To further discuss the extent and the impact of our current pace of lack or diminished care for the uninsured. We must first understand and answer the following questions; how often is it encountered' What are the negative consequences' And who is affected by this problem' In 2004, the USA population size was 307,006,550 people according to The U.S. Census Bureau and of that population the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and Uninsured estimated that 44,000,000 were without health insurance. This equates to about 14.3 percent of the U.S population in 2004 was without healthcare insurance. By race, 70 percent of the American population consist of Whites, so right fully they have the highest number of uninsured within that the United States. If you to look at the percentage by group it have been noted to Hispanics show the highest rate of uninsured. Hispanics represented 14 percent of the total U.S. Population in 2004 according to the U.S. Census Bureau but show that 30% percent of the Hispanics are without health insurance. Contributing facts are that “research has shown that Hispanics are more likely to be employed in jobs that do not offer health insurance, such as construction and agriculture (but when offered health insurance they accept at the same rates at whites and blacks)” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2005). Approximately 60 percent of the U.S. Population is cover by insurance that is Employer sponsored. It can be from their own, a spouse’s, or a parents employment. Most children and elderly are covered under government sponsored insurance programs like Medicaid and Medicare. Leaving individuals in the age range of 18-34 that are unemployed virtually the prime group to be without health insurance in America. The Negative aspect of the problem we face in America is not limited to what I am about to mention in this paragraph. First when comparing individuals with insurance to someone that is uninsured it has been founded that the latter are receiving less preventative care. There is a huge difference in the amount of preventative care between the groups. Since they are receiving less preventative care they are being diagnosed with disease and disease processes at very advance stages then insured individuals. After most uninsured people are diagnosed; there is a trend that shows that they receive less therapeutic care and have higher mortality rates. The uninsured is most likely to keep hospital visit to an absolute minimum to save from incurring debt, making them most like to seek medical care too late or only after enduring so much pain. This turns emergency room from primarily focusing on emergency care but also as primary care providers. This increases patient wait times and eventual leads to a miss management of hospital resources and man power in triaging non critical patients. It is estimated that 18,000 unnecessary deaths are attributed to having no insurance every year in the United States. As this is a national problem and incidence can be seen in every state, city, and town. The rate/percentage of individuals affect rises as we look closer to area more concentrated with people that live below the poverty line. With that in mind, the implications for the mission and vision of a healthcare organization should suggest the adoption of a mind set, a value set, and methodologies that are align with operating for the uninsured population that it supports. References Hadley, J. and Holahan J. (2004). The Cost of Care for the Uninsured: What Do We Spend, Who Pays, and What Would Full Coverage Add to Medical Spending' Retrieved on 05 January 2011from website http://www.kff.org/uninsured/upload/The-Cost-of-Care-for-the-Uninsured-What-Do-We-Spend-Who-Pays-and-What-Would-Full-Coverage-Add-to-Medical-Spending.pdf U.S. Census Bureau (n.d.) State and Country Quick Facts. Retrieved on 5 January 2011 from website http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.) Overview of the Uninsured in the United States: An analysis of the 2005 Current Population Survey. Retrieved on 5 January 2011 from website http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/05/uninsured-cps/index.htm