| A deluge of uninsured patients may swamp the | | | | health care coverage out of reach for many, |
| health care system in the wake of the end of | | | | Families USA contends. |
| federally subsidized benefits for the uninsured. | | | | But U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick said, via e-mail, that |
| Robert Resendes, the director of Yavapai County | | | | Congress may discuss proposals to extend the |
| Community Health Services, said the current | | | | temporary assistance in December, although it |
| recession already has stretched his organization's | | | | has not worked out details. |
| programs. | | | | "We need to be focused on doing all that we can |
| "Ever since the economy started dropping, we've | | | | to create and save jobs in our communities so |
| seen a huge increase in our numbers," Resendes | | | | that more people will be able to get and keep |
| said. "We'd expect to see a continued increase. In | | | | their insurance," Kirkpatrick said. "That continues |
| the last three years, we've seen a doubling of | | | | to be my top priority. This program has done |
| patients in our clinics."The county provides sliding | | | | some good, but it is still expensive for our |
| scale fees for medical and dental service. Patients | | | | working families - it is a stopgap." |
| using the sliding scale clinics have increased from | | | | Robbie Nicol, spokesperson for Yavapai Regional |
| 15,270 for the fiscal year ending in June 2007 to | | | | Medical Center, was uncertain how much the |
| 22,831 for 2008 to 27,379 for the year ending in | | | | change would affect the hospitals. |
| June 2009. | | | | "It's difficult to accurately project what impact |
| Families USA, a national organization for health | | | | this change in the COBRA laws will have on our |
| care consumers, said that unless lawmakers | | | | ERs," Nicol said. "It may certainly mean an |
| extend the subsidies, many Arizona workers who | | | | increase in patients who are uninsured, but I don't |
| have lost their jobs also could lose the federal | | | | have data that would help me be more specific." |
| subsidy under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget | | | | "We want to reassure everyone in our |
| Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) on Dec. 1. | | | | communities that our emergency rooms in |
| The subsidies began in March under the American | | | | Prescott and Prescott Valley are available for |
| Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and included | | | | them 24/7 when they need us," Nicol added. |
| those laid off beginning Sept. 1, 2008. | | | | Meanwhile, the county has hired more doctors to |
| Eligible people pay 35 percent of their COBRA | | | | meet the increased demand, Resendes said. |
| premiums and the remaining 65 percent goes to | | | | "We would anticipate an increase in patients," |
| the insurance company through a tax credit, | | | | Resendes said. "It's kind of tough to be proactive. |
| according to the U.S. Department of Labor. | | | | We've never done it or seen it before. We will be |
| Without continued help with COBRA payments, | | | | promptly reactive. We try to build in enough |
| health insurance premiums would total 83 percent | | | | flexibility that we'll be elastic. We're the safety net. |
| of the average unemployment check, putting | | | | |