U.S. health care debate must address 'plight of the underinsured,' editorial states

While reducing health care costs and the number of uninsured U.S. residents "are critical priorities for this country, ... the health care debate needs a wider focus to also address the plight of the underinsured," a New York Times editorial states.

The editorial notes that a recent survey by the Commonwealth Fund found that 25 million insured U.S. residents often found their health coverage "pitifully inadequate when a medical crisis hit" and were "only marginally better off than those who had no coverage at all."

According to the editorial, "Conservative health theorists and insurance industry leaders have long argued that the best way to slow soaring health care costs is to force people to pay a significant share of the bill so that they will buy medical services more judiciously, and sparingly." However, "as out-of-pocket expenses and deductibles have risen, many families are instead postponing or forgoing treatment," the editorial states. The Times writes, "Middle-income families have increasingly been hit hard."

"A typical family might have to cope with rising premiums, high deductibles, benefit limits that exclude or cap treatments and substantial copayments for each service," the Times writes, concluding, "Insurance plans that discourage needed care will only cause greater sickness and higher costs down the road" (New York Times, 6/12).