Why Pennsylvania Needs Health Insurance Reform

1.  Because nearly 1 million adults under age 65 have no health insurance.

-Between 60-65 percent are employed.

-100 percent are worried that an illness or accident could push them into bankruptcy.

2.  Because many more are losing health coverage as the economic recession continues.

-Could you afford your current health insurance policy if your only income was an unemployment check?

3.  Because without health insurance, people are more likely to become seriously ill, causing suffering for them and higher costs for the rest of us.

-Most of the uninsured can not access a primary health care provider.

-Most cannot afford to follow prescriptions, take diagnostic tests, or see a specialist.

-Hospitalization is more frequently needed because without treatment, people get sicker.

-Two Pennsylvanians die each day because they lack health insurance.

4.  Because the cost of medical care for the uninsured drives up health costs for us all.

-It's a 6.5 percent hidden tax we pay through higher health insurance premiums.

Why Pennsylvania needs to reform its health insurance laws.

1.  Because under the current system, annual spikes in group insurance premium costs are driving too many businesses to drop their health plans.

-If an employee becomes seriously ill, the rates for the entire group often jump.

-Employers with female employees of child-bearing age and/or older employees often find premium costs to be out of reach.

2.  Because current law permits health insurers to deny coverage to the sick.

-Those most in need of insurance often can not find coverage.

-Our society loses productivity when older employees can not risk a job change out of fear of losing health coverage.

3.  Because health insurance companies add far too much cost to the health care system.

-Under current laws, they provide coverage to the healthy, deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions, and try to avoid responsibility for claims made by their customers.  This is an expensive and wasteful system.

-We need reform built around incentives focused on prevention and wellness. 

4.  Because shopping for health insurance is needlessly confusing for consumers.

-It's difficult to understand policy benefits and limits, much less compare one policy to another.