Patient Data Analysis Report Finds More Than 75 Percent of Chronically Ill Patients Unable to Obtain Needed Healthcare Have Some Form of...( New trend findings of 'underinsur...),Health

New trend findings of 'underinsured' patients based on successful management of nearly 45,000 cases by national, non-profit Patient Advocate Foundation in 2007

NEWPORT NEWS, Va., June 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) -- a national non-profit organization providing direct case management services and healthcare information to millions of patients with life-threatening, debilitating and chronic diseases each year who are unable to obtain access to healthcare because of financial issues or insurance denials -- today released their annual Patient Data Analysis Report (PDAR), which includes detailed analysis of general and specific healthcare access and insurance trends at the national and state-specific level. Regarded as a thorough and reliable resource by policymakers, healthcare providers and stakeholders and other members of the healthcare community, this expert data analysis offers a comprehensive summary of issues impacting Americans' access to healthcare.

PAF is on the frontlines of the healthcare access battle millions of Americans fight every day. Last year alone, PAF received 6.9 million contacts from patients, family members and care professionals requesting information and assistance. PAF's professional case managers successfully managed 44,812 cases for patients that required direct, sustained mediation and arbitration services. Seventy-six percent (76%) of these patients were insured through plans, but were still unable to obtain physician-prescribed healthcare despite coverage, reflecting an alarming trend of underinsured patients in the nation's healthcare system. Seventy-eight (78%) percent of PAF patients are cancer patients. The remaining twenty-two (22%) have chronic diseases including cardiac conditions, diabetes, osteoporosis, stroke, COPD, HIV, Parkinson's disease and Lupus.

"Each year, PAF is able to help more Americans gain access to the healthcare services they need, but we continue to
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