Today's Health Care Check-Up: - September 21, 2000

1.3 Million More Uninsured Americans

The Ultimate Consequences of the Dingell-Norwood-Kennedy Bill

Of course patients should get the health care they deserve, but they should also get the care they need when they need it. The Dingell-Norwood-Kennedy bill would not get patients the care they need until the conclusion of a lengthy court proceeding. Worse, Dingell-Norwood-Kennedy’s new, unlimited lawsuits against employers will lead to higher health care costs and force 1.3 million more Americans to lose their health insurance altogether. How many Americans from your state will lose their health insurance if Dingell-Norwood-Kennedy becomes law?

State

Increase in Uninsured

State

Increase in Uninsured

Alabama

21,591

Montana

2,192

Alaska

2,379

Nebraska

12,879

Arizona

24,698

Nevada

11,485

Arkansas

9,166

New Hampshire

4,345

California

186,451

New Jersey

41,276

Colorado

22,846

New Mexico

7,268

Connecticut

15,242

New York

78,359

Delaware

3,432

North Carolina

29,925

Florida

75,630

North Dakota

4,446

Georgia

34,892

Ohio

55,489

Hawaii

5,164

Oklahoma

15,681

Idaho

3,175

Oregon

20,063

Illinois

59,999

Pennsylvania

49,439

Indiana

27,897

Rhode Island

5,335

Iowa

11,840

South Carolina

16,876

Kansas

12,528

South Dakota

4,106

Kentucky

20,446

Tennessee

29,049

Louisiana

16,493

Texas

86,451

Maine

3,333

Utah

15,888

Maryland

30,816

Vermont

1,332

Massachusetts

29,543

Virginia

30,293

Michigan

39,383

Washington

35,522

Minnesota

25,119

West Virginia

4,966

Mississippi

11,166

Wisconsin

29,228

Missouri

31,330

Wyoming

971

 

 

United States

1,320,035

 

Source: Barents Group LLC, "Impact of Legislation Affecting Managed Care Consumers: 1999-2003," April 1998. Estimates are based on Barents findings adjusted to reflect CBO 4.1% estimate of Dingell-Norwood’s (H.R. 2990) impact on premiums.