Novak Online Tax & Acounting
Tony Novak, CPA, MBA, MT
(610) 572-1724 onlineadviser@live.com
Save time and money working with an online accountant
Going without health insurance
by Tony Novak, CPA, MBA, MT
originally published in 2003, updated 11/21/2011
The U.S. Census Bureau set the current number of Americans without health insurance at 43.6 million in September 2003, an increase of 5.8% over the prior year. The rate of increase surprised most people who follow these issues and is likely to add fuel to the political argument for mandatory national health care coverage. The number of Americans without insurance remained stable for several years and then increased in 2010 and 2011.
The reasons for the sharp increase are: 1) rising healthcare costs; 2) rising unemployment; 3) increasing flexible benefit plans that allow employees to “opt out” of health insurance; 4) increasing employee contributions to employer-sponsored plans; and 5) the availability of free health care to those without insurance.
Of these reasons, cost of health insurance coverage seems to be the least important. The large majority of Americans without health insurance are middle income people whose monthly disposable income is significantly larger than the cost of health insurance. The largest portion of uninsured Americans are working adults under age 40. More than half of the uninsured adults viewed their situation as temporary -especially those changing jobs or recently graduated from school.
The major reason for the drop of insured workers cited by the Census Bureau is the decline in employer-provided group health insurance. State insurance laws have made these group health insurance plans too cumbersome and too costly for the average employer. Some firms have switched to Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA) and Medical Savings Accounts (MSA) to combat this trend. HRAs avoid most of the group insurance restrictions and MSAs cut cost simply by purchasing less insurance.
The most significant underlying trend is that one in ten healthy young workers who could afford to purchase health insurance – either though buying into an employer-sponsored plan or purchasing coverage on their own – now opts to be uninsured instead. Uninsured people generally have little motivation to enroll in a health insurance plan. They know that; 1) they have little “at risk” in terms of personal financial liability for not carrying insurance, 2) they can enroll later in an “open enrollment” health plan if their health deteriorates, and 3) free health care is available at many facilities to those without health insurance. Mandatory health insurance coverage is not a politically popular idea, so we may face this issue for a long time to come.
The federal health reform law of 2010 is designed to reduce the number of people without insurance but it is too soon to predict whether the law will achieve the intended results. One key provision of the law referred to as the “individual mandate” will be tested by the Supreme Court in 2012.
Some predict that the number of uninsured will continue to increase from 2012 to 2016 before stabilizing. Additional medical cost controls and reforms to social health insurance programs are likely needed before we seem meaningful reductions in the number of people without health insurance.
Status: available for reprint
This article is available for republication in its entirety without charge after obtaining the express written permission of the author.
Pleasee-mail a request to the author that includes the name of the requestor (individual and corporate) and the intended destination of publication.
This Web site is independently owned and operated by Tony Novak operating under the trademarks “Freedom Benefits”, “OnlineAdviser” and “OnlineNavigator”. Opinions expressed are the sole responsibility of the author and do not represent the opinion of any other person, company or entity mentioned. Tony Novak is not a representative, agent, broker, producer or navigator for any securities broker dealer firm, federal or state health insurance marketplace or qualified health plan carrier and has no financial position in any stocks mentioned. Novak may act as and be compensated as an accountant, agent, adviser, writer, consultant, marketer, reviewer, endorser, producer, lead generator or referrer to the companies listed on this site or other commercial companies and non-governmental insurance exchanges. Information is from sources believed to be reliable but cannot be guaranteed. Any accounting, business or tax advice contained in this communication, including attachments and enclosures, is not intended as a thorough, in-depth analysis of specific issues or a substitute for a formal opinion, nor is it sufficient to avoid tax-related penalties.
141 Jones Street, Bala Cynwyd PA 19004 | P.O. Box 333, Newport NJ 08345
Leave a Reply