SOS’s catastrophic relief programs are safety nets for families who have excessive expenses related to medical needs

[Gary Graefen]

Samaritans Offering Support
Global
Basic Info
Type:
Organizations - Non-Profit Organizations
Description:
Americans are in trouble. We are afflicted by a deep, pervasive, contagious illness. And we cannot afford to get well – literally.

The steadily rising cost of health care is devastating people already struggling to make ends meet in the midst of one economic disaster after the next. The health care crisis has lurked in the background, behind the headlines, devouring the means of ordinary families and destroying lives. Candidates talk about socialized medicine and comprehensive health care, but SOS – Samaritans Offering Support – uses existing resources to help ease the burden.

“Illness often leads to financial catastrophe through loss of income, as well as high medical bills,” writes researcher David U. Himmelstein, MD, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “Most were average Americans who happened to get sick,” he says. “Health insurance offered little protection. Families with coverage faced unaffordable co-payments, deductibles, and bills for uncovered items like physical therapy, psychiatric care, and prescription drugs. In addition, even the best job-based health insurance often vanished when prolonged illness caused job loss – precisely when families needed it most. Too often, private health insurance is an umbrella that melts in the rain.”

His report shows that during the two years prior to filing for bankruptcy:
40% lost telephone service
19% went without food
54% went without needed doctor or dentist visits because of cost
43% did not fill prescriptions because of cost
15% had taken out second or third mortgages to pay for medical expenses
33% continued to have problems paying their bills following bankruptcy, including mortgage/rent and utilities

Why do we need catastrophic relief programs?

Far more middle-income American families are experiencing the adverse affects of catastrophic healthcare expenses – both the insured & uninsured – due to availability, affordability & the decreasing scope of health insurance. It has become a financial burden, taking at least 10% of after-tax income, for nearly a third of middle-income American families.

Unfortunately, many must delay or forgo care because of costs, and some providers refuse care because of bills owed. Many do without necessities such as food, heat and rent because of medical expenses. For those on tight budgets, medical expenses add stress and reduce quality of life, which may itself cause additional health issues. Many families are denied bank loans and are forced to take on credit card debt to pay for their medical bills.

• Medical debt is the leading cause of bankruptcy nationally.
• An unexpected medical crisis, such as a car accident, can financially devastate an otherwise stable working family.
• When children have chronic medical conditions, the cost of caring for a child can be thousands of dollars per month, beyond what insurance will cover. Working, tax-paying parents quickly accrue debt that erodes the family’s savings and destroys credit ratings.
• The stress of medical debt can interfere with an employee’s work attendance and performance and destabilize a business.

Our Mission and Vision

The mission of Samaritans Offering Support is to help the seriously ill and their families cope with catastrophic expenses through financial assistance programs, education and community outreach.

The vision of Samaritans Offering Support is a better, more stable existence for all middle-class Americans. We envision a country where all people have access to healthcarewithout fear of crushing debt.

Samaritans Offering Support values compassion, commitment, innovation, trust and teamwork.

Quality improvement at Samaritans Offering Support is the continual, systematic search for opportunities to improve. We strive for an environment of cooperation to achieve improved programs.

What is the purpose of SOS’s catastrophic relief programs?
SOS’s catastrophic relief programs are safety nets for families who have excessive expenses related to medical needs. These funds can be accessed when medical expenses not covered by public or private insurance, or some other source, exceed 50% of a family’s income.

For more information, contact SOS at 1-877-202-1130 or visit their website at www.sosmd.org.

Together we can make a difference in the lives of the growing number of middle-class American families affected by catastrophic medical expenses.
Contact Info
Email:

Website:
http://www.sosmd.org
Office:
SOS National HQ
Location:
PO Box 24532
Knoxville, TN