Facts About the Healthcare Crisis
Lane County leaders agree that the current healthcare system is not sustainable. An increasing number of people are getting left out of the system altogether or are "accessing" the healthcare system through the emergency departments. And, it is only getting harder to navigate the maze of programs and services available for healthcare and health insurance.
There are approximately 62,000 uninsured people in Lane County — approximately one in five people— and that includes nearly 9,000 children, ages 18 and under.
And while we know of sincere efforts at the state and national level to help alleviate this crisis, 100% Access believes that there is much that can be done locally —
right now — to develop a more coordinated system of care for the uninsured in Lane County.
- 2004 Needs Assessment
The United Way of Lane County’s 2004 Community Needs and Assets Study showed that the top three needs of all people in Lane County were access to physicians, affordable medications, and affordable health insurance. The least stable source of healthcare coverage was Oregon Health Plan, with over one-half of respondents reporting interrupted coverage in a previous two-year period. Download a Summary of the 2004 Needs Assessment Results
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- Analysis of Lane County's Emergency Department Utilization
Health Policy Research Northwest completed an analysis of the Emergency Department utilization in Lane County for 2005 and 2006. This work was supported by a grant from 100% Access Healthcare Initiative. Emergency Department dischange data was analyzed in aggregate from four hospitals in Lane County: McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center, Sacred Heart Medical Center, Peace Harbor Hospital, and Cottage Grove Hospital. The results are intended to provide insight into healthcare utilization patterns across Lane County. Download the Executive Summary
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- 2007 Community Assessment
Consistent with findings of previous studies, a healthy economy is directly related to health families. Whereas the 2004 study found that more Lane County residents were experiencing difficulty meeting their basic needs in almost every category compared to prior years' surveys. data from the 2007 survey showed that fewer households report having difficulty meeting their basic needs. The 2007 Community Assessment shows that paying for medical and dental care and medical insurance continues to be the most common financil hardship faced by Lane County households. Paying for prescriptions is slightly less of a concern that in 2004. For summary and full copies of the 2007 Community Needs and Asset Study Report, see www.unitedwaylane.org/03_needs_assessment.shtml
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