Reason #564 Why Real Health Care Reform Is Needed

Way too many Nevadans have no coverage, especially far too many minority Nevadans.

NEVADA
In Nevada, 58.7 percent of Hispanics were uninsured in 2007-08, compared with 41.3 percent of African-Americans and 26.8 percent of whites.
Nevada is ranked third in the nation for no prenatal care for Hispanics and second in the nation for no prenatal care for white, non-Hispanic patients.
Sources: Families USA, RGJ research [...]

Mike Rodolico, executive director of the Health Access Washoe County, where Gonzalez takes her son for checkups, said the clinic's employees see the need for reform every day.

About 60 percent of HAWC patients are Hispanic, and many are uninsured, Rodolico said. Most of the clinic's patient population is low-income, earning about $42,400 or less per family of four. Patient numbers are up, 6,000 visits a month compared with 4,000 a month last year.

"I'm very concerned for the Hispanic population, really for anyone who is uninsured," Rodolico said. "We know community health clinics will be an important part of any reform, and we're hopeful our patients can get some sort of insurance."

And this is why we need real reform, not some HMO/pharma bailout. This isn't some sick political power game, but rather about real people in need of real help. They need real care that's really affordable.