Lastest Stats on Persons Without Health Insurance

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has published the lastest statistics on the number persons without health insurance in preparation for Cover the Uninsured Week, May 1-7. Nationally, the number of person without health insurance has grown to 46 million, including 7 million between the ages of 50 and 64 . Forty percent of the uninsured people in the 50 to 64 age bracket live in the South.


Even more shocking, the report claims that 50 persons per day, 18.000 per year, die because they do not have health insurance or the funds to pay for required medical care. As a volunteer for a local non-profit that has a phone bank to connect people to local health resources, I took a call from a women who's mother had just been told that her breast cancer had reoccured. When she was originallly diagnosed she had health insurace and recevied treatment. She now uninsured and was told that she sould not receive additional treatment without insurance or the funds to pay for them. She had neither and eventally died.

I do the financial and accounting work for a local free clinic(we have three in our county of 400,000) and we are constantly overloaded with patients that have no insurance or private funds. If we have the capacity for the doctor to see 30 patients we often have 45 people apply. The clinics take some of the loads off the emergency rooms, but there is still a tremendous unmet need for basic medical care.

According to international healthcare surveys, Americans pay the most per capita for medical care and receive the seventh best level of care in the developed world. We are spending the money, it just isn't being spent wisely.

Reported by: Duane B. on April 27, 2006

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CHC's Health Care Access in the News: APRIL 17 – April 23, 2006

Consumer Health Coalition (CHC) has highlighted major news headlines and studies related to health care access from the past week. We hope you find this information interesting and useful! It includes health news regading important minority issues.

To read the news report, click HERE [Note: Requires Adobe Reader].

HELP INCREASE ACCESS TO QUALITY, AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE! CONTACT THE CONSUMER HEALTH COALITION TO BECOME A MEMBER! Consumer Health Coalition is located at 650 Smithfield Street, Centre City Tower/Suite 2130, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 (Phone: 412-456-1877 Fax: 412-456-1096)

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MAY 14: Mother's Day AND Race For The Cure!!

Through generous support from the Pittsburgh Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, Magee Womancare International (MWI) is excited to provide FREE registration to members of Pittsburgh's Latina community for the 2006 Pittsburgh RACE FOR THE CURE on Mother's Day, May 14th, 2006 at Schenley Park! Last year, MWI registered over 100 people from Pittsburgh's Latina community who showed their support for breast cancer awareness and research by participating in the 5K run/walk, the 1K walk, and RACE day festivities.

Click HERE for the RACE FOR THE CURE registration form in Spanish.


Latina community members who are interested need to complete a registration form for each family member participating in the 2006 Pittsburgh RACE FOR THE CURE. Due to registration deadlines, MWI will not be able to provide free registration for any completed registration forms received after April 26, 2006. Additionally, the only way to receive free registration is to send completed RACE registrations directly to Magee Womancare International (for example, if you register online at the RACE FOR THE CURE website you will pay the regular adult registration fee of $20.00).

You can return completed registration forms to Magee Womancare International in the following ways:

1) By email to jcooper@mail.magee.edu
2) By fax to (412) 641-8995
3) By regular mail:
Magee Womancare International
Attention: Jeanne Cooper
3339 Ward Street, Room 220
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Magee Womancare International staff will distribute "Race Packets" including free t-shirts and race bibs on Sunday, May 14th from 7:30 - 8:15 am at St. Hyacinth Church.

Anyone wearing Race t-shirt can ride any Port Authority bus absolutely free from 6:30 am until noon on Sunday, May 14th!

Please consider joining over 34,000 Pittsburghers in supporting this important cause. We hope to see you again at the 2006 Susan G. Komen Pittsburgh RACE FOR THE CURE!

Thank you,
Jeanne Cooper
Program Manager
Magee Womancare International
(412) 641-8996

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