10/28/08 Skyrocketing Healthcare

A friend of mine recently stated that she informed her doctor she could afford to die, but she couldn't afford to live. Her statement caused a chuckle, but then the hard line reality of what she said sunk in. In her case, she'd already covered the cost of her funeral and interment, but she didn't have the health insurance coverage necessary for a much needed but costly medical procedure. Sadly, she's not alone. Roughly 25 million Americans are underinsured and even more are not insured at all. The people included in this number come from all walks of life, from factory and retail workers to farm and ranch families. And while many families have a limited health care coverage, nearly ninety percent of them will deplete savings, incur debt, and delay care due to steep health care costs and insurance premiums. Middle America, family farms and ranches, and small business are the backbone of our economy. Policymakers must find solutions that will ease the burden of health care costs for rural families and businesses. Skyrocketing insurance costs cannot be the straw that broke this camel's back.