One-fifth of Miss. citizens uninsured
Cost of health care causes many to remain uncovered
Aubra Whitten
Issue date: 9/11/07 Section: News
"Individuals in the lower middle class brackets may not be able to afford health insurance, but they also earn too much income to qualify for public programs," Hatcher said. "Since programs provide services to the very needy and the affluent can afford insurance, individuals in the lower middle class are left out."
The State Children's Health Insurance Program is what some families turn to when they lose private insurance coverage, Mitchell said.
S-CHIP is for families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, Mitchell said.
"Since January 2005, approximately 58,000 children in this state have lost Medicaid eligibility and about 9,000 have lost S-CHIP eligibility," Mitchell said.
There have been barriers to both of these programs under the guise of preventing fraud, but there is no proof that any of those dropped by the programs were fraudulent claims, he said.
Sen. Terry Burton, R-Newton, who serves as vice chairman of the public health and welfare committee, said that Mississippi provides insurance via the Health Insurance Risk Pool at the insurance commissioner's office in Jackson.
Burton said the program is for residents who cannot get insurance anywhere else due to unemployment, preexisting health problems or other qualification problems. Even though its premiums are high, it is a way to get residents insured, he said.
Burton said there are many complex issues involved in the problem of the uninsured.
"I don't think there's any answer that will fix it overnight. The main thing we have to do is provide a healthier environment for the state," Burton said.
Mitchell said one potential solution would be allowing families to buy into the state Medicaid program. This would extend coverage to 90,000 people at no cost to the state, he said.
Hatcher said some experts think tax incentives will enable people to use more of their income for health care spending.
Others think increasing the role of the public sector in providing health care would help alleviate the problem, he said.
The State Children's Health Insurance Program is what some families turn to when they lose private insurance coverage, Mitchell said.
S-CHIP is for families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, Mitchell said.
"Since January 2005, approximately 58,000 children in this state have lost Medicaid eligibility and about 9,000 have lost S-CHIP eligibility," Mitchell said.
There have been barriers to both of these programs under the guise of preventing fraud, but there is no proof that any of those dropped by the programs were fraudulent claims, he said.
Sen. Terry Burton, R-Newton, who serves as vice chairman of the public health and welfare committee, said that Mississippi provides insurance via the Health Insurance Risk Pool at the insurance commissioner's office in Jackson.
Burton said the program is for residents who cannot get insurance anywhere else due to unemployment, preexisting health problems or other qualification problems. Even though its premiums are high, it is a way to get residents insured, he said.
Burton said there are many complex issues involved in the problem of the uninsured.
"I don't think there's any answer that will fix it overnight. The main thing we have to do is provide a healthier environment for the state," Burton said.
Mitchell said one potential solution would be allowing families to buy into the state Medicaid program. This would extend coverage to 90,000 people at no cost to the state, he said.
Hatcher said some experts think tax incentives will enable people to use more of their income for health care spending.
Others think increasing the role of the public sector in providing health care would help alleviate the problem, he said.
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