KLAS-TV Channel 8 News Las VegasHealth Insurance Getting More Expensive
(Sept. 28) -- A non-profit, liberal watchdog group claims Nevada is in the midst of a health insurance crisis, one fueled by a surge in the number of uninsured seeking medical attention. And you will end up paying for it. The "Families USA" report says Nevada health insurance premiums increased 46-percent over the last four years.
"You've got basically a crisis situation happening." Insurance analyst Jeff Hines believes premiums are shooting up because hospitals are recovering costs of treating the uninsured by pressuring insurance companies for greater compensation. "Someone has to pay it so they just increase the premiums on the people who are insured."
Families USA reports 718,000 Nevadans have no health insurance right now.
"Fifty percent of the patients we see don't have insurance currently." Steve Hansen is with Nevada Health Center, which operates three general care clinics in Las Vegas. The care isn't free; but the center treats the uninsured, hoping to get paid something, but worries about the bottom line. "The more cash flow we generate, the more we turn that back into hiring more doctors, more nurses -- see more patients see more uninsured patients."
It's a vicious cycle. Premiums are increasing because of the uninsured. Why are there so many uninsured? Many people can't afford the premiums. Then there's Ron Cuzze, "I believe now our only recourse is to sue the state."
Cuzze is a former UNLV police officer. As a state employee he paid health care premiums to Unum Insurance. Two years ago, Cuzze was injured in an attack. "My doctor said that's it." Cuzze's doctor said he was disabled. Cuzze turned in a disability claim to Unum; they denied his claim, saying he wasn't disabled.
According to the Governor's Consumer Health Assistance office, Unum has also denied disability claims to several hundred Nevada state employees. Cuzze says Unum has his premium money and he has nothing to show for it. "Took it and didn't pay off their claim."
Nevada Attorney General Brian Sandoval is investigating Unum Insurance, as is the state's insurance commissioner. The state dropped Unum Insurance from its benefits plan last year. Unum Insurance did not respond to Eyewitness News' requests for a comment.
