Report shows state health care costs

Since 2000, the number of Nevadans spending more than a tenth of their pretax income on health care has climbed by 155 percent, according to a report by Families USA.

During the same time there was a 188 percent increase in the number of Nevada families that pay more than a fourth of their pretax income for such care, according to the report from the liberal consumer health group, which supports health care coverage for all.

Families USA said nearly 700,000 Nevadans under 65 are paying more than a tenth of their income for health care, while more than 200,000 on the group paying more than a quarter of their income for such care.

Ron Pollack of Families USA, said three-quarters or more of the people in both groups are insured, adding the statistics show clearly that high health care costs "are not just a problem of the uninsured" and that health care reforms are overdue.

Pollack said the main factors for the high costs are that insurance premiums are rising and employers are reducing coverage for their workers.