Uninsured children are less likely to be diagnosed with serious conditions.
Approximately 46 million people in the United States lack health care benefits, according to the Henry. J. Kaiser Family Foundation, either because their employers do not offer them or because they cannot afford insurance. Lack of coverage often results in serious problems, like lack of medical care, an increased likelihood of death and bankruptcy. The United States is the only industrialized nation that does not provide universal health care.
Demographics
Eighty percent of uninsured people in the U.S. are native or naturalized citizens and/or within working families, with two-thirds making below approximately $44,000 a year for a family of four. Thirty percent of the uninsured are young adults, while 52 percent are over 30 years old. Thirteen percent of whites are uninsured, while 33 percent of Hispanics and 21 percent of African-Americans lack health care benefits.
Overall Health
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation reports that those without health insurance could improve their health with benefits. Around 11 percent of uninsured are in fair or poor health, versus 5 percent of those with private coverage. The uninsured die earlier on average and are less likely to receive preventative care or be diagnosed with serious diseases like cancer and diabetes, but are more likely to be hospitalized for preventable conditions and more likely to die in hospitals than the insured. When those without health care benefits are hospitalized, they tend to receive fewer diagnostic and therapeutic services; even the uninsured who are incapacitated and unable to make emergency decisions have a higher death rate and receive fewer services than insured patients.
Adult Access to Care
Adults with health care benefits have greater access to quality medial care than those without Twenty-four percent of uninsured did not receive needed care in 2008 due to cost, versus 4 percent of the insured. Forty-seven percent of those without coverage did not receive any preventative care that year, and twenty-seven percent could not afford a prescribed drug. The uninsured are also less likely to receive recommended care for chronic diseases. The disparities between the uninsured and insured in terms of access to care and health outcomes are greater in the U.S. than in any other country with reputable data.
Children's Access to Care
Uninsured children would also benefit from gaining coverage, according to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Children without health care benefits are less likely to have a regular doctor. Fourteen percent went without needed care due to cost in 2008, twenty-eight percent had unmet dental needs, and 16 percent had not seen a doctor in two or more years. Uninsured minors do not receive the same level of care as insured children for common illnesses and injuries, are at higher risk for preventable hospitalizations and are at greater risk for missed diagnoses of serious conditions.
Financial Effects
Those without medical insurance are more likely to struggle meeting basic needs like food and shelter, yet are customarily charged three to four times what insurance companies pay for hospital services. In 2009, 20 percent of uninsured drained their savings to pay for medical bills. Patients can be turned away from certain clinics for inability to pay and the uninsured are at increased risk of amassing medical bills leading to bankruptcy. If covered, those risks decrease substantially.
