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What New Health Care Laws Could Mean for Your FamilyNeighborhood Health Center Director Len Stewart said about 40 percent of the center’s patients are uninsuredRelated Content
ANCHORAGE - The idea that everyone will need to have insurance coverage or pay a fine is prompting lots of debate, but people who work with lower income groups said it’s hard to find a downside for them. At the Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center Jackie Johnson is getting seen by a provider. Johnson comes to the clinic not because she doesn’t have insurance, but because she has trouble affording the Medicare co-pay. “It’s the 20 percent,” said Johnson. “But here they have a sliding fee scale which is nice.” Johnson has a part time job, but still struggles with health care costs. So does 19-year-old Rozina Thompson, only Thompson has no health insurance at all. “I work at Blockbuster. I live at home with my parents. I don't make too much money,“ said Thompson. The health care laws will allow Thompson to stay on her parents' insurance up to age 26, but that’s assuming her parents have insurance. According to state figures, nearly 18 percent of Alaskans don’t and many end up at the Neighborhood Health Center. Director Len Stewart said about 40 percent of the center’s patients are uninsured. He believes that requiring expanded coverage to lower and middle-income groups could have benefits for everyone. “It’s going to let you come in more often and be in charge of wellness as opposed to waiting till you are critically ill to come in,” said Stewart. “Honestly that is going to lower over all systems costs to have more people well and out of hospital ER’s.” In the meantime employers who don’t currently offer insurance may end up spending more of their own money to make it available. And there will be penalties starting in 2014 for those who do not purchase any. One man who does have insurance said the medicine may be painful, but necessary. “Not everyone’s going to like it, but in order for everybody to be covered somebody’s got to be put out of place.”
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Anonymous said on Saturday, Jun 30 at 12:47 PM
CNN had a segment on how much a CAT-SCAN was in Los Angeles CA. $4468...insurance covers $2400 of it... they called back to see how much if they pay cash? $250 dollars...that is what it should cost for healthcare...more Fleecing of America...still...
95042396jay said on Friday, Jun 29 at 10:34 AM
As a vet and 22 year military areer I was told I would have free health care for life. Now that I'm reaching retirement age I MUST sign up for Medicare and pay for it plus the co-pays and Medicare B stuff. Thanks America, after being spit on when I returned home from Viet Nam I get spit on again.
94958591MIKE said on Friday, Jun 29 at 7:46 AM
Well we are one step closer to a Socialist Government next if you have a home You will need to take care of drug attics and have them move in with you or you will be heavily taxed at the end of the year. The communist and democracy ideas soon will be the same, just have different names
94941635BRL said on Friday, Jun 29 at 4:31 AM
Not all people that don't have health care are lazy or worthless or illegal alien or whatever the name of the day is. There are many people out there that are working and are not offered medical insurance from their employer and sometimes if they are it is still unaffordable to the if they are a single parent or has exsisting medical condition. There are mmmmany reasons why folks don't have coverage sdo before you judge someone know all the facts.
94923425Thank me said on Thursday, Jun 28 at 9:58 PM
For everyone that doesn't have insurance and still won't have to pay one thin dime for it, thank me for your good health. You are welcome I'm glad I can work so hard to support you, still.
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