Care Without Coverage

Care Without Coverage

Author: Institute of Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2002-06-20

Total Pages: 213

ISBN-13: 0309083435

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Many Americans believe that people who lack health insurance somehow get the care they really need. Care Without Coverage examines the real consequences for adults who lack health insurance. The study presents findings in the areas of prevention and screening, cancer, chronic illness, hospital-based care, and general health status. The committee looked at the consequences of being uninsured for people suffering from cancer, diabetes, HIV infection and AIDS, heart and kidney disease, mental illness, traumatic injuries, and heart attacks. It focused on the roughly 30 million-one in seven-working-age Americans without health insurance. This group does not include the population over 65 that is covered by Medicare or the nearly 10 million children who are uninsured in this country. The main findings of the report are that working-age Americans without health insurance are more likely to receive too little medical care and receive it too late; be sicker and die sooner; and receive poorer care when they are in the hospital, even for acute situations like a motor vehicle crash.


Improving the Quality of Health Care for Mental and Substance-Use Conditions

Improving the Quality of Health Care for Mental and Substance-Use Conditions

Author: Institute of Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2006-03-29

Total Pages: 528

ISBN-13: 0309133661

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Each year, more than 33 million Americans receive health care for mental or substance-use conditions, or both. Together, mental and substance-use illnesses are the leading cause of death and disability for women, the highest for men ages 15-44, and the second highest for all men. Effective treatments exist, but services are frequently fragmented and, as with general health care, there are barriers that prevent many from receiving these treatments as designed or at all. The consequences of this are seriousâ€"for these individuals and their families; their employers and the workforce; for the nation's economy; as well as the education, welfare, and justice systems. Improving the Quality of Health Care for Mental and Substance-Use Conditions examines the distinctive characteristics of health care for mental and substance-use conditions, including payment, benefit coverage, and regulatory issues, as well as health care organization and delivery issues. This new volume in the Quality Chasm series puts forth an agenda for improving the quality of this care based on this analysis. Patients and their families, primary health care providers, specialty mental health and substance-use treatment providers, health care organizations, health plans, purchasers of group health care, and all involved in health care for mental and substanceâ€"use conditions will benefit from this guide to achieving better care.


Health Insurance is a Family Matter

Health Insurance is a Family Matter

Author: Institute of Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2002-09-18

Total Pages: 296

ISBN-13: 0309169054

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Health Insurance is a Family Matter is the third of a series of six reports on the problems of uninsurance in the United Sates and addresses the impact on the family of not having health insurance. The book demonstrates that having one or more uninsured members in a family can have adverse consequences for everyone in the household and that the financial, physical, and emotional well-being of all members of a family may be adversely affected if any family member lacks coverage. It concludes with the finding that uninsured children have worse access to and use fewer health care services than children with insurance, including important preventive services that can have beneficial long-term effects.


Mental Health Parity Act

Mental Health Parity Act

Author: John Dicken

Publisher: DIANE Publishing

Published: 2000-11

Total Pages: 70

ISBN-13: 9780756703219

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To address the discrepancies in coverage between mental & other illnesses, Congress passed the Mental Health Parity Act of 1996. It prohibits employers from imposing annual or lifetime dollar limits on mental health coverage that are more restrictive than those imposed on medical & surgical coverage. In preparation for the law's Sept. 30, 2001 sunset & possible reauthorization, this report discusses: the extent to which employers comply with the law & how they have revised their health plans; the law's effect on claims costs; & the steps Federal agencies have taken to ensure compliance with the law. Charts & tables.


The Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act

Author: Tamara Thompson

Publisher: Greenhaven Publishing LLC

Published: 2014-12-02

Total Pages: 130

ISBN-13: 0737771496

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The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was designed to increase health insurance quality and affordability, lower the uninsured rate by expanding insurance coverage, and reduce the costs of healthcare overall. Along with sweeping change came sweeping criticisms and issues. This book explores the pros and cons of the Affordable Care Act, and explains who benefits from the ACA. Readers will learn how the economy is affected by the ACA, and the impact of the ACA rollout.