More need government health plans, census says

By Megha Satyanarayana, Detroit Free Press

The number of people who rely on state and federally sponsored health care programs is rising, according to the 2007 Current Population Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau.

In 2006, 47 million Americans had no health insurance, whether public -- such as Medicaid, Medicare, State Children's Health Insurance Program or military benefits -- or private.

In 2007, 1.3 million people dropped off the uninsured roles. Most of that drop led to increases in public health enrollment, said David Johnson, chief of housing and household economic statistics at the U.S. Census Bureau.

In 2006 and 2007, 11% of Michiganders were uninsured, an increase of 0.3% from 2004 and 2005, and the numbers from private employment-based insurance fell nearly 2%.

"In Michigan, we really are reaching the point of concern at several levels," said Catherine McLaughlin of the University of Michigan Economic Research Initiative on the Uninsured.

More unemployment and fewer affordable private options are forcing families to use public programs for health care, she said, yet funding for these programs is not increasing at the same rate.

"What gives? Education, roads, public safety?" McLaughlin said. "What do we cut back on?"

She said without tax increases, it may be difficult to meet the need.

For the last year, the state has tried to get federal assistance to move Medicaid money around to put poor, childless adults on public health care. But now the plan sits, waiting for a new administration that may be more sympathetic.

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