If Health Reform Fails

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation issued a report this week indicating that, if health reform fails this year:

• Health care costs could increase more than 35% in every state by 2019
• The number of people without health insurance would increase by more than 30% in 29 states (the number of uninsured would increase by at least 10% in every state) in the next ten years
  
• Employers in 46 states would see their insurance premiums increase by more than 60% by 2019
  
• Every state would see spending for Medicaid/Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) increase by more than 75% by 2019.
  

The full report from Robert Wood Johnson can be downloaded here: http://www.rwjf.org/healthreform/product.jsp?id=49148.

The Health Reform debate continues in Congress. Prevent Blindness America continues to advocate for vision and eye health as components to any health care reform package. We join our other public health and patient advocacy partners in urging the Senate Finance Committee to include a Prevention and Public Health Trust Fund in health reform legislation. The HELP Committee bill includes such a fund to ensure that health reform strengthens the U.S. public health infrastructure and moves our health system toward one that is focused on prevention and preparedness (food safety issues, disease outbreaks, etc.). It is imperative that the U.S. health system focus on wellness and health promotion, and current health reform legislation is an excellent opportunity to reinforce this goal.

For more information on Prevent Blindness America and our health reform efforts, go to http://www.preventblindness.net/site/PageServer?pagename=advocacy_home&AddInterest=1161.