Women at risk
Once again, our health care system comes up short.
A recent study by the Commonwealth Fund, “Oceans Apart,” details the higher rate of women in the US not getting the care they need as compared to women from 10 other countries.
The figures, from 2010, show that nearly 19 million women ages 19-64 were without insurance in 2010, up by about one-third from 1000. Nearly 17 million more women had health insurance but had such high out-of-pocket costs that they couldn’t afford care — making them effectively uninsured.
In all, the survey showed, 43 percent of US women were not able to access the care they needed because of cost. Among women who were uninsured all year, that rate was 77 percent.
So much for the idea that the number of uninsured are inflated by people with plenty of money not buying insurance because they just don’t want to.
These women skipped medications, decided to forgo mammograms, PAP tests and other tests and treatments, meaning that if they did have health issues, those problems were made much worse — even deadly — because of lack of access to care. That also makes care, when they do get it, far more expensive.
Now look at the numbers in other countries. None of them is perfect, but the rates of women not getting care because of cost are far, far lower. Look at the United Kingdom with its state-run system. Just 7 percent, and the Netherlands is at 8 percent.
I don’t know the rates for men, who need screening for prostate cancer, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. But their insurance rates are lower — in some instances 50 percent lower — for the same coverage.
In 2014, our rates of uninsured will go down, thanks to the Affordable Care Act. How far depends on the willingness of states to expand Medicaid coverage to everyone with an income less than 133 percent of federal poverty level.
Health reform isn’t finished, but we are starting to see improvements. Maybe in a few years we won’t be coming in at the very bottom of every measure of care.
Tags: Patient Pals & Family Friends
Life o' Mike has a peer support program for people with one or more serious or chronic medical issues or disabilities.
We aim to reduce isolation and fear among people who have conditions, including psychiatric illness, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, mild dementia or other cognitive disorder or disability, thereby reducing depression and complications as people learn to improve self-management of their medical conditions.
Patient Pals help alleviate feelings of isolation and frustration. They can help people develop a list of questions to ask the doctor and then accompany the person to the doctor to make sure all the questions are answered, taking notes to be sure the person understands the doctor’s answers.
Our trained volunteers also accompany their “Pals” to art exhibits, movies and walks outdoors, meet for coffee, call to check in and more.
Our Pals have experienced weight loss, improvement in diabetes, HIV, psoriasis, depression and more, just because they have someone who cares about them. Some relationships develop into longer-term friendships; other Pals move on to more independent lives.
Family Friends are there to help caregivers and other family members grow into their new role.
We need volunteers, who are asked to donate a minimum of one hour a week. Training is free and includes information on active listening, ways to help and when to know more help is needed.
And of course, we need funding.
To learn more, call Leslie Boyd at 828-243-6712 or e-mail lifeomike@gmail.com.
Life o’ Mike honors Joe Eblen
Life o' Mike presented its first Michael T. Danforth Community Service Award to Joe Eblen at a luncheon on June 8, in the Friendship Hall of First Congregational Church, 20 Oak St., Asheville.
Joe, seen here with Leslie Boyd, left, and his wife, Bobbie, has spent his life helping children and families, both as a coach and game official for more than 60 years, and as founder of Eblen Charities.
Start From Seed
Life o' Mike has a new program- Start from Seed (SFS).
SFS is a volunteer doula program aimed at providing non-medical, comprehensive support to low income, high-risk women and families of Buncombe County focusing on three areas:
1. We help new doulas with certification and training in return for their participation as a volunteer doula for SFS
2. We mentor volunteer doulas with their first few clients
3. Our volunteer doulas provide birth and postpartum doula services to low income, high risk moms, providing support and tools to empower them as a new parent.
A birth doula is a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; a postpartum doula provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.
Start from Seed clients are referred to us from the Buncombe County Department of Health’s Nurse-Family Partnership Program, Western North Carolina Community Health Services, and Mission Hospital. The Program is intended and designed for growing clients’ inner strength and helping them gain empowerment to help them cope with the emotional, physical and mental challenges of childbirth, labor, and motherhood.
Our new moms and their infants have many needs. If you would like to help them get off to a good start, please visit our Start from Seed web site: Start from Seed, or call Program Director Chelsea Kouns at 804-814-9946.