Sanjay Gupta just did a piece on CNN re: 62% of bankruptcies caused by medical debt - video

[Bozita]

My guess is that this piece will be shown often today.

Thank you, CNN.

http://us.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2009/06/22/bankruptcy.medical.gupta.cnn

[Oregone]

1. Yeah, Sanjay is really on the ball for you

:)

[malaise]

15. Yes indeed the same Sanjay who tried to ridicule

Michael Moore while being owned by big Pharma. :D

[YOY]

2. Gupta...I really don't trust him. I wish I could believe him.

Too much in the pockets of Big Pharma.

Sure he's knowledgeable and the ladies think he's hunky...but he feigns knowledge of economics too much.

LAst I checked they don't teach economics in med school.

[edhopper]

3. The man who lied about

Michael Moore's SICKO. I don't trust him either.

[madokie]

7. Yep I quit watching cnn because of that

be three years come july 3 this year best I remember. Every once in a while I email them reminding them of why I don't watch any more. I know it won't make any difference but it makes me feel better and there is always a chance of an outside bet, you just never know.

[Cass]

4. It is unfortunate that some will dismiss this simply because of Sanjay Gupta.

It is an excellent segment, everyone should watch it if they can. Really hit home what people are going through with regard to medical bills, health insurance and bankruptcy. It is an embarassment that this is occurring in this country.

My hat is off to CNN and Sanjay Gupta for doing this piece.

[WonderGrunion]

16. I hope Gupta may be finally coming around on health insurance reform

He practically fell over himself to shit over "SiCKO"

[Echo In Light]

5. I thought that figure was much higher yrs ago? Skewed numbers/rose colored glasses?

[Bozita]

6. I remember clearly his dissing of Michael Moore. Yet here he is today showing 62% of bankruptcies...

... are due to medical bills.

This is equivalent to a religious conversion.

[MidwestTransplant]

8. If people just wouldn't get sick beyond their means, this wouldn't be happening. People need to be

more responsible.

[slipslidingaway]

9. Did he mention that three-quarters had insurance...

thanks for posting.

http://www.pnhp.org/news/2009/june/illness_medical_bil.php

Most of those bankrupted by illness were middle class and had insurance

EMBARGOED until:
June 4, 2009, 12:01 a.m. EDT

Contacts:
David Himmelstein, M.D.
Steffie Woolhandler, M.D., M.P.H.
Elizabeth Warren, J.D.
Deborah Thorne, Ph.D.
Mark Almberg, [phone], cell: [phone], [e-mail]

"Medical problems contributed to nearly two-thirds (62.1 percent) of all bankruptcies in 2007, according to a study in the August issue of the American Journal of Medicine that will be published online Thursday. The data were collected prior to the current economic downturn and hence likely understate the current burden of financial suffering. Between 2001 and 2007, the proportion of all bankruptcies attributable to medical problems rose by 49.6 percent. The authors’ previous 2001 findings have been widely cited by policy leaders, including President Obama.

Surprisingly, most of those bankrupted by medical problems had health insurance. More than three-quarters (77.9 percent) were insured at the start of the bankrupting illness, including 60.3 percent who had private coverage. Most of the medically bankrupt were solidly middle class before financial disaster hit. Two-thirds were homeowners and three-fifths had gone to college. In many cases, high medical bills coincided with a loss of income as illness forced breadwinners to lose time from work. Often illness led to job loss, and with it the loss of health insurance..."

[Bozita]

12. 77.9% were insured at the start of the bankrupting illness - Thanks for that!

[slipslidingaway]

17. YW and thanks for the video. n/t

[Bozita]

10. Link to video ...

http://us.cnn.com/video/#/video/health/2009/06/22/bankruptcy.medical.gupta.cnn

[SeattleGirl]

11. That is the primary reason we filed for bankruptcy - medical debt.

A friend of mine just had to do the same thing, also because of medical debt.

[Peregrine Took]

13. 5 yrs ago my 80 yr old SIL, who had S.S. and a pension, had to file due to

medical debt and now that she has had another extensive illness she may have to do so again at age 85. Sickening!

[Swede]

14. Michael Moore opened his eyes.

[Bozita]

18. Has Gupta's report aired on CNN since the noon hour ET?