Forty percent of the ground zero workers who went to Mount Sinai for medical screening did not have health insurance, and will not be able to afford proper medical care in the years ahead unless the federal government steps in to help.
More Federal Funding Needed to Ensure Treatment for All Workers
Dr. John Howard, the federal 9/11 health coordinator, has said the $52 million that the U.S. government set aside in 2005 for treatment is inadequate. Addressing the new study, Howard said it seems clear that the gap between federal funding and the cost of treatment will continue to increase unless the study can be used to make the case that more funding is needed.
“These are just the kind of facts that are important in making a logical argument that the funding needs to be adjusted,” said Dr. Howard, who is also the director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, in a New York Times article.
“We encourage anyone who worked at ground zero, especially in the early days after September 11, who has not yet been screened, to come for an evaluation,” Landrigan said. “It is important that those who gave so heroically in the aftermath of the disaster be assured that they will be able to get all the medical care they need.”
Health Problems Not Limited to Rescue Workers
The findings of the study also suggest that serious health problems may extend to New York City residents who lived near the World Trade Center site on 9/11 as well as ground zero rescue workers. The World Trade Center Health Registry, operated by New York City, is tracking the long-term health effects of 9/11 on approximately 71,000 people, including those who lived or worked in lower Manhattan on 9/11 and during the months when workers were cleaning up the site.
In early September 2006, New York City health officials finally issued guidelines to help doctors identify and treat illnesses related to 9/11. These medical guidelines are considered essential for the treatment of hundreds of ground zero workers now living in communities throughout the United States.
For more details of the study, see page 1.
