Number of Uninsured Can Be Instantly Erased Says Health Advisor
That title is admittedly a bit misleading, but John C. Goodman, the president and CEO of the National Center for Policy Analysis, says it is possible to instantly erase the number of uninsured Americans. How would he do it?
Goodman says, “The next president of the United States should sign an executive order requiring the Census Bureau to cease and desist from describing any American, even illegal aliens, as uninsured.” Goodman is an advisor to John McCain, as well.
Goodman argues that the Census Bureau would get better data by finding out where people get funds if they need care. Presumably that includes financial help from family, friends, the government, and free care from a hospital.
He goes on to say that only people who are denied health care altogether are truly uninsured, wrote the Dallas Morning News. In a nutshell, he’s arguing that everyone who has access to an emergency room - which is just about everyone - technically has health insurance.
Eva Deluna, from the Center for Public Priorities disagrees, “[Access to an emergency room] is not the same thing as having health insurance. People without insurance are less likely to seek care, and when they do, the cost to the health system is greater.” Goodman, at least, has showed an interesting analysis of statistics giving numbers of uninsured Americans.
