5 Facts on the Uninsured

Source- Kaiser News

I think most would agree that this is sobering information on the impact of being uninsured. What this information does not factor is in the resulting impact of non-covered pre-existing conditions once an individual obtains health insurance.

In addition medical related expenses played a key role in more than 700,000 home foreclosures in the U.S. in 2008. In a recent study by the Univ. of Pennsylvania the authors found that compared to a sample of residents in the general public, those in foreclosure were more likely to be uninsured (22 percent compared to 8 percent). Nearly 60 percent reported that they had skipped or delayed meals because they couldn’t afford food, and people undergoing foreclosure were also more likely to have forgone filling a prescription because of the expense during the preceding year (48 percent vs. 15 percent).

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1) Most of the 46 million uninsured are in working families and do not have access to employer-sponsored insurance. Eight in ten of the 46 million uninsured in the U.S. come from working families. Most uninsured workers are self-employed or work for small firms where health benefits are much less likely to be offered.

2)About two-thirds of the uninsured have low incomes, meaning their family income is less than 200% of the poverty level (about $44,050 a year for a family of four or $21,982 a year for a single person in 2008). Moderate income families, those from 200-399% of poverty, comprise 23% of the uninsured (Figure 2). The average annual cost of employer-sponsored family coverage has doubled since 2000. Because the cost of family coverage in 2009 was $13,375, many families can only afford coverage if they receive sizable employer contributions.

3) In 2008, an increase in Medicaid coverage helped to offset declines in private insurance. Medicaid’s role in covering children was particularly important. While about 700,000 children lost employer-sponsored coverage in 2008, more than twice as many (1.7 million) gained Medicaid coverage—decreasing the number of uninsured children by 800,000 in a single year. Some states have expanded Medicaid coverage beyond federal minimums and made more of their low-income population eligible. The number of adults in Medicaid has increased as incomes declined due to the recession. Meanwhile, other states have left most low-income individuals ineligible for public coverage.

4) The uninsured suffer from negative health consequences due to their lack of access to necessary medical care. About one-quarter (24%) of uninsured adults go without needed care each year due to cost. Studies repeatedly demonstrate that the uninsured are less likely than those with insurance to receive preventive care and services for major health conditions, including traumatic injuries, heart attacks, and chronic diseases—and many suffer serious consequences. The uninsured receive less preventive care and recommended screenings than the insured. Adults who have been uninsured for more than one year are three to four times more likely to have not received recommended breast cancer screenings or to have had their blood pressure checked.

5) The uninsured pay for more than one-third (35%) of their care out-of-pocket. They are typically billed for any care they receive, often paying higher charges than the insured. Medical bills can put great strain on the uninsured and threaten their physical and financial well-being. The uninsured are nearly three times as likely (14% versus 5%) as those with health insurance coverage to be unable to pay for basic necessities due to medical bills (Figure 5). Additionally, 20% of the uninsured report having used up all or most of their savings because of medical bills. The average uninsured household also has no net assets.