Over 7.5 Million People Denied Medical Care by Health Plans Since Bush Took Office

Patients' Rights Groups Unveil Electronic Counter at Rally

 ... [See photos from the rally]

Washington, DC - Since President George W. Bush took office, more than 7.5 million people experienced a problem with their health plan that resulted in a denial or delay of health care, according to the national consumer health organization Families USA.

The organization unveiled an electronic counter that calculates the number of people who experience denials or delays of medical care at a rally on Capitol Hill with Senators as well as consumer, physician, and nurse groups supporting the patients' rights bill introduced by Senators John McCain, John Edwards, and Ted Kennedy. The electronic Patients' Rights Counter is mounted on top of an ambulance and will be used on Capitol Hill to remind members of Congress about the number of people harmed by HMOs while patients' rights legislation continues to be debated.

"Every day that goes by without strong patients' rights protections, almost 50,000 people experience problems with their health plans that result in denials or delays of needed medical care," said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA. "The time to help America's patients and consumers is now."

According to Families USA, approximately 18.1 million Americans per year between 18 and 64 years of age experience a problem with their health plan that results in a denial or delay of medical care. On a weekly, daily, hourly, and per-minute basis, the number of people encountering problems with their health plans resulting in denials or delays of care are:

Weekly: 346,951 persons

Daily: 49,562 persons

Hourly: 2,065 persons

Per minute: 34 persons

As a result, the Patients' Rights Counter on Capitol Hill changes numbers every 1.74 seconds to indicate the frequency that people experience denials or delays of care from their HMOs and health plans.

"We have waited over four years for real patients' rights legislation and, in the meanwhile, many millions of Americans were denied the care that they and their families need," said Pollack. "Americans around the country want strong and immediate action to protect their families."

The numbers on the Patients' Rights Counter are based on two sources, Census Bureau numbers and a report by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. According to the Census Bureau, there are 135 million people between the ages of 18 and 64 who have health insurance, excluding Medicare coverage. The Kaiser Family Foundation last year released its National Survey on Consumer Experiences with Health Plans (June 7, 2000) that was a nationally representative sample of this group. Among its findings, the Survey found that over 13 percent of this group encountered problems with their health plans that they reported resulted in a denial or delay of medical care.

###

Families USA is the national organization for health care consumers. It is nonprofit and nonpartisan and advocates for high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

1201 New York Avenue NW, Suite 1100 · Washington, DC 20005
202-628-3030 · Email: info@familiesusa.org · www.familiesusa.org