Are You Feeling More Screwed Now Than You Were Eight Years Ago?

The Chron ran an AP story today about new census data,
“Loss of health coverage hits the middle class.”
Here’s some:

“The fastest growing group of people without health insurance? Those in households making $75,000 or more, according to data released Tuesday by the Census Bureau.

The number of Americans without health insurance increased for sixth straight year in 2006, to 47 million people. It was 44.8 million in 2005.

The share of Americans living in poverty declined for the first time since President Bush took office, to 12.3 percent. And the median household income increased for the second straight year, to $48,200.

Both chambers of Congress recently passed bills that would dramatically increase funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP. The Bush administration, however, opposes both measures, saying they would result in people abandoning private coverage for public coverage for children.”

-That’s rich. This administration is more worried about poor health insurance companies than it is about poor children. I guess they’re just playing to their base of supporters, wondering, what would Bill Frist do? (You realize that former Senator Bill Frist is to health insurance as Paris Hilton is to hotels.)

This reminded me of writing last week about some states making families earning up to $52,000 CHIP eligible. That seems like a lot, at first, until you figure the cost of living in some states. That median income figure caught my eye, though, because I know the ballpark number for health insurance at my family of four is $12,000 a year. Years ago, I was advised that if I kept my housing (biggest) expense under 25% of income, I was doing OK. What in the world are people supposed to do when they pay 25% off the top for health insurance?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an average family in 2000 paid 32% of their income for housing, 19% for transportation, 13% for food, and 34% for “other” which includes medical. Families with no coverage, or with pre-existing conditions, get bills for common medical procedures that can total several years salary. That’s when they find out how the republicans “reformed” the bankruptcy laws.

Again, I’m calling on all members of Congress to follow the lead of Rep. Steve Kagen, D-Wisconsin, who declined his coverage saying, “I will not accept health insurance coverage until everyone I represent in Wisconsin and across America is given the same opportunity.

I know that my congressman, Nick Lampson, had bypass surgery last year, which would make him all but uninsurable now. (Ironically my former congressman, Tom DeLay, has no heart.) I know it’s a lot to ask, that he risk his life like this, but hey, it gives him a chance to be a hero, or even a martyr, in time for the next election.