Today, more people have health insurance than ever before in ourcountry's history. Love it or hate it, health care reform hasresulted in an estimated 20 million people moving under the healthinsurance umbrella, according to a recent report by the Departmentof Health and Human Services.
But for many people — even those with good medical plans throughtheir employer — that umbrella is either too small or has a fewleaky spots.
That's especially true when it comes to a serious illness such as aheart attack, stroke, or cancer. Today's high-deductible healthplans, coinsurance, and copays can leave employees with significantfinancial exposure before insurance covers a dime. Add in relatedcosts that medical insurance won't cover — travel to and fromtherapy and specialist appointments, child care during treatment,lost income for missed time at work, adaptive devices or homemodifications — and the tab can grow rapidly.
Americans at risk
It's not all bad news: The death rate from heart disease hasdropped significantly in the past decade, according to the AmericanHeart Association's 2016 Heart Disease and Stroke StatisticsUpdate. But the burden and risk factors remain alarmingly high.
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