HEARING - U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

95
Mr. Chairman and members of the <strong>Special</strong> <strong>Committee</strong> on
Aging, Consumers Union* appreciates the opportunity to present
our views on the issue of catastrophic health insurance for the
elderly. In November 1986, we sponsored a conference on "Ending
Poverty -- Issues for the Middle Class." One theme which
emerged from the conference was that inadequate access to health
care at a reasonable cost is a major barrier to escaping
poverty. Many working families live on the edge of poverty or
actually fall into it because they experience high, unreimbursed
health care costs. As many as 37 million people in our nation
face limited access to health care because they do not have
health insurance. consumers Union is committed to doing what it
can to contribute to an informed debate on the critical health
issues facing the 100th Congress. Today's hearings focus on
catastrophic health insurance for the elderly and long-term care
-- two huge gaps in the current health care system. I have
attached to this testimony an analysis we prepared in response
*Consumers Union is a nonprofit membership organization
chartered in 1936 under the laws of the State of New YOrk to
provide information, education and counsel about consumer goods
and services and the management of family income. Consumers
Union's income is derived solely from the sale of Consumer
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nonrestrictive, noncommercial contributions, grants and fees.
In addition to reports on Consumers Union's own product testing,
ConsumerReorts, with approximately 3.5 million paid
carculat on, regularly carries articles on health, product
safety, marketplace economics and legislative, judicial and
regulatory actions which affect consumer welfare. Consumers
Union's publications carry no advertising and receive no
commercial support.