No insurance for 129 million Americans

In this file photo, volunteer medical staff, are seen offering free medical services to those without health insurance at a special event in Los Angeles in 2009.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/160692.html

As many as 129 million Americans under the age of 65 have medical problems while they lack medical insurance, a new study has discovered.

According to the study by the Health and Human Services Department, these people are either rejected by insurance companies or have to pay more for coverage.

This is while their ailments range from cancer to chronic illnesses such as heart disease, asthma and high blood pressure.

The report released on Tuesday, comes just before the House of Representatives plans to begin debating a Republican bill that would repeal US President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law.

In an effort to convince the public of the advantages of the law, the secretary of health and human services said repealing the legislation would leave one-fifth to one-half of non-elderly people unprotected.

Republicans, however, immediately disparaged the analysis as "public relations."

The $940-billion scheme, which aims to overhaul the US health-care system, was signed into law in March, following months of tense debate.

The law which would take effect in 2014 contains insurance protection for people with pre-existing medical conditions.

It also contains a controversial "individual mandate" provision, which makes it economically feasible for insurers to comply with consumer protections in the legislation.

A federal court in the US state of Virginia dealt a heavy blow to the hard-won bill last month, after ruling this key part of the new law as "unconstitutional."

Most experts now believe that the fate of the reform bill will likely be eventually determined by the US Supreme Court.