The following is a column by Dennis Cooley, M.D., a Topeka pediatrician and the chairman of Kansas Action for Children.
By Dennis Cooley, M.D.
Oct. 15, 2007
The principles of hard work and perseverance are no longer enough for families to achieve the American dream. Children in middle-class families are left behind in our current health care system, unable to afford private health coverage, but not eligible for public insurance programs.
The latest research confirms the need for health care reform: insurance premiums are outpacing the rates of family income … fewer working families have access to employer-provided insurance and the number of Kansans living without health insurance is steadily increasing.
According to data from the “Employer Health Benefits 2007 Annual Survey,” employer-sponsored health insurance premiums increased an average of six percent this year, more than double the rate of inflation and far exceeding the growth of family income. The survey also indicates that, while many working families count on health insurance through their employers, the employer-based system is weakening. The number of employers, particularly small firms, able to offer health insurance for their
employees has been on the decline since 2001.
Most importantly, the number of Kansans without health insurance increased significantly over the past year. According to the U.S. Census Report, about 335,000 Kansans are living without health care coverage, an increase from about 278,000 Kansans in 2005. When families lack health insurance, society pays the price both now and in the future. Without coverage, working Kansas families are not likely receiving the primary care they need in order to stay healthy, prevent chronic and costly health problems, and remain in the workforce. Moreover, when families are without health coverage, it is more likely that their children will grow up without health coverage. Uninsured children are less likely to receive the primary care and on-time immunizations that are necessary for them to succeed in school and in life.
The Kansas Health Policy Authority is expected to make recommendations later this year on a health care reform plan that is intended to improve the health of Kansans and improve the health care system in our state. As the discussion on reform evolves, we must focus on closing the gap in a way that maintains health care coverage for children living in low-income families, and also provides middle-class Kansas children with access to affordable health care.
Dr. Dennis Cooley is a general pediatrician who has practiced in Topeka, Kansas, for 27 years. He currently serves as chairman of Kansas Action for Children, a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to shaping policy that puts children first. Dr. Cooley is on staff at Stormont-Vail Healthcare and St. Francis Health Center in Topeka, and is a nonsalaried clinical instructor with the University of Kansas School of Medicine.