HOSPITAL USES MARKET FORCE TO SPUR COVERAGE

Vendors that offer insurance to workers get head start for contracts

Baptist Health South Florida, the biggest employer in greater Miami, is flexing its economic muscles to make a statement about the importance of employer-based health care coverage. In November, the health system, which employs 12,000 people, announced it will give preference to vendors that provide health insurance to their employees starting in this month.

"We're using market forces to promote social responsibility," says Baptist CEO Brian Keeley. "It's an embarrassment that a country as wealthy as ours doesn't offer health insurance. So, all things being equal, if there's a choice between two vendors, we're going to choose the one that offers insurance to its employees."

Baptist's purchasing philosophy states that the health system is biased toward "organizations that operate in a socially responsible manner including providing reasonable health insurance options for their employees." Baptist works with approximately 10,000 vendors.

Robert DerHagopian, M.D., a breast cancer surgeon at Baptist, originally promoted the idea after being inspired by his home state of Massachusetts' plan to provide universal health coverage. Since Florida's political environment won't support a state-led initiative, it was up to employers to pick up the slack, Keeley says. "We're doing it to inspire others. If employers band together, we won't need a state mandate or fiat," he says.

Proponents call it a symbolic statement that nonetheless may have a real impact on the local economy in South Florida, which is dominated by small businesses. As many as three of 10 South Florida residents are uninsured.

"Health insurance is a huge concern for small businesses. Costs are increasing and the choices are few," says Barry Johnson, president of the greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. Nevertheless, Baptist's policy may be an incentive for some employers. "It's a very creative idea in that it can encourage more businesses to provide coverage," Johnson says.

~~~~~~~~

By Dagmara Scalise

FAMILIES AFFECTED BY CANCER SUFFER SERIOUS FINANCIAL PROBLEMS

A national survey of people affected by cancer provides an in-depth examination of how families cope with cancer and highlights problems of health insurance and health care costs through the lens of those who have experienced this major illness. The results show how health care and health insurance systems wan fail to protect people when they are most in need.

Conducted jointly by USA Today, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health, the survey shows that the disease's devastating impact often extends beyond an individual patient to affect entire families--sometimes causing financial crises, strained relationships, and physical and mental health issues.

The survey found that one in four families affected by cancer say the experience led the person with the disease to use up all or most of their savings, and one in eight say they borrowed money from relatives. The illness also made it harder for some to find and keep health insurance--with about one in 10 saying they couldn't buy health insurance because they had been diagnosed with cancer, and 6 percent saying they lost their coverage as a result of the disease.

Having health insurance at all times during treatment helped to limit the financial consequences of a cancer diagnosis, but even those with consistent coverage faced difficulties--one in five used up all or most of their savings, one in 10 borrowed money from relatives and 9 percent were contacted by a collection agency.

Among those who did not have health insurance consistently during their illness, the financial burden was even greater. More than one in four said that they delayed or decided not to get treatment because of its cost. Nearly half used all or most of their savings; four in 10 were unable to pay for basic necessities; one in three sought the aid of a charity or public assistance program; and 6 percent filed for personal bankruptcy.

"When people with cancer are deferring care and experiencing such serious financial hardships because of inadequate insurance or because they have no health insurance, it casts a new light on the need to address our nation's health insurance problems," says Kaiser Family Foundation President and CEO Drew E. Altman.

The survey finds that half of families say that they experienced at least one problem related to coordination of care during the course of cancer treatment. This includes one in four who report that they received conflicting information from different doctors or other professionals involved in their care, one in five who received duplicate tests or diagnostic procedures, and one in five who were confused by the medications their doctors prescribed. Other issues include leaving a doctor's office without getting important questions about their care answered (15 percent) and medical records not reaching a doctor's office in time for an appointment (13 percent).--A link to the USA Today articles about the findings, as well as the full survey results and charts with key data, are available at www.kff.org.

(c) USA TODAY, 2007