Extra! Extra! Read all about it! The Baucus Plan dares to overhaul the American heathcare system! Seriously, take a moment and glance at Senator Max Baucus’ 223-page proposal on healthcare reform (you may also find a helpful summary here) – though some may frown at the reduced price-tag ($856 billion compared to the original estimate of $1 trillion or more), the proposal has been a much buzzed-about topic for the past year. The cost of health insurance has increased five times faster than wages over the last eight years. Estimates show that just seven years from now, most Americans will spend nearly half their income on health insurance… though for some this subject is still a laughing matter.

If greedy bankers can be bailed out of their financial woes, why not the average Jane? Let’s take a look at healthcare costs from the point-of-view of an expectant mother:

According to the March of Dimes study conducted in 2007, the average cost of vaginal delivery (accounting for roughly 70% of all births in America) is approximately $7,700; the average cost of a cesarean delivery is approximately $11,000. Additionally, doctors recommend that expectant mothers visit their obstetrician-gynecologist once a month for the first 6 months, twice a month for the seventh and eighth month, and then once a week for the last month of pregnancy. According to a 2003 report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the average amount charged to patients for prenatal care was $133 per visit, which may add up to roughly $2,000 in appointment costs (not including blood work, or any additional costs arising from complications). So far, an uninsured mother’s pregnancy may cost anywhere from $10,000-$15,000 depending on her geographic location (the West and North-East states are the most expensive). And what about infant health care? As one in every 8 babies in the United States is born premature, the costs to patients grows significantly. A study conducted by Thomson Healcare in 2001 found that premature babies are fourteen times as costly as healthy, full-term babies. First year health costs for premies were in excess of $41,000, while first year health costs for full-term babies were under $3,000. Every year over 550,000 uninsured women give birth in the United States, many of whom would rather forgo doctor visits and expensive medication, then shell out thousands of dollars (and the social costs are tremendous). Even insured parties are angry with the current system. Here is what one unsatisfied customer had to say in response to a New York Times Online debate on health care:

I welcome any effort to get a hold of the outrageous practices of the insurance conglomerates. I’ve spent my entire morning on the phone with a customer service representative for my wife’s former insurance company attempting to get them to pay a claim from our son’s birth in May ‘07. This battle has been going on for nearly a year and a half and hundreds of hours have been wasted trying to convince the company what their duty and obligation is pursuant to our policy. Finally we found out (today) that the customer service reps forward disputed claims to the adjusters who don’t have access to the file to make necessary notations and changes!?!? What kind of business can run efficiently or effectively with that kind of system in place? When looking over all of the documentation, with the cost of coverage, copay, deductible and out of payment costs due to denial of coverage, the pregnancy would have been less expensive if we had NO insurance. What a racket. – Daniel Donahue

Is Baucus’ new plan a first step toward affordable health care or is it another business ploy to guarantee pharmaceutical/insurance companies billions without allowing the public more options? This is yet to be decided. With the lack of the public option (a very significant missing element), many feel that big insurance companies will have little incentive to bring costs down. Some have even dubbed it ‘Dead on Arrival’ – Republicans will not vote for it, and only some Democrats will support it – it’s a gift of guaranteed new clients to the insurance companies. “The Baucus bill is the worst piece of healthcare legislation I’ve seen in 30 years,” Howard Dean, former Democratic National Committee chairman, said last night at a healthcare town hall and book signing in Washington. “In fact, it’s a $60 billion giveaway to the health insurance industry every year,” he said. “It was written by healthcare lobbyists, so that’s not a surprise. It’s an outrage.”

Watch and Learn

Some options for the uninsured today:

• eHealthInsurance provides information about obtaining health insurance, as well as details on such programs as medical savings accounts, ehealth savings cards and Medicare.
• The Health Resources and Services Administration is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Visit their site for lists of resources and services for expectant mothers.
• The United Services Automobile Association (USAA) Educational Foundation’s website provides information on how to evaluate and purchase health insurance.