Economic status and access to care
The dot-com boom and bust has had an impact on San Francisco Bay-area residents' utilization of health care. According to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation reported in California HealthLine; 20% of residents surveyed have "skipped or postponed medical care because it was too expensive…"
The problem is particularly acute among the underemployed (those with jobs at pay levels or requiring skills that are substantially less than their previous position or with part-time positions), with 41% skipping or delaying care.
There are several inferences we can draw from this.
1. the availability of insurance drives medical utilization
2. the richer the plan (lower deductible etc) the more likely the insured is to seek care
3. employer-based insurance directly and significantly influences the utilization of medical care.
The survivors of the dot-com implosion are educated, aware, and active. Yet another constituency that is highly likely to push health care coverage to the top of their political interest list.