final paper

Uninsured in the USA

Health coverage remains a challenge to many persons especially the elderly and those from poor backgrounds. Many uninsured persons lacked coverage from 2000-2008 for various reasons including the high cost of insurance and poverty. Cost was and remains a major barrier to health coverage. Many adults from poor backgrounds could not afford coverage. Low-income individuals being offered employer-sponsored coverage could not afford to pay the premiums. Not all workers could get coverage through their jobs because their employers did not sponsor coverage. These employers also cited high cost as the key barrier to offering employer-sponsored coverage (kff.org, 2017).

Description of Issue

According to Kaiser Family Foundation (2012), approximately 45.7 million persons were uninsured as of 2008 in the U.S. It is devastating to learn that most uninsured families had one or more full-time workers and more uninsured persons were adults aged 30-54 year from low-income families before the ACA. Despite the implementation of the ACA, most nonelderly persons lack coverage and adults from low-income families. Individuals leaving below the federal poverty level are at increased risks of lack of coverage. At least 80% of the uninsured came from families with relatively low incomes below 400% of poverty. Unfortunately, approximately 75% of these uninsured persons come from families with at least one full-time employee (kff.org, 2017).

People of color have significantly high uninsured rates. They account for approximately 50% of the nonelderly uninsured persons. Hispanics have uninsured rates of 16.9%, the Blacks have 11.7% and the Whites have 7.6% (kff.org, 2017). Cost remains the key barrier to coverage among nonelderly persons. Low-income jobs and lack of full-time jobs significantly contribute to lack of coverage among nonelderly adults. Again, more adults than children lack coverage because children have broader availability of CHIP/Medicaid.

The numbers of uninsured fall and rise because of various reasons including ongoing weak job market and recession. The recent recession led to increased unemployment rates that resulted in a decline in employer-sponsored coverage. This led to a rapid increase of uninsured persons between 2007 and 2010. After the recession in 2011, employer-sponsored coverage stabilized that resulted to a slight decline in the uninsured rate. Programs such as the CHIP and Medicaid significantly prevent steeper drops in the uninsured during weak economy (The Uninsured , 2012).

Lack of health insurance coverage means that persons uninsured do not meet their health care needs compared to those covered. This could lead to postponing of health care that may result to premature deaths from preventable causes (DeVoe, 2013). The uninsured may lack preventive care and services, may not afford prescribed drugs, and are likely to be hospitalized for health problems that could be prevented (kff.org, 2017). The uninsured make it difficult to receive proper healthcare. They tend to receive fewer therapeutic and diagnostic services due to cost.

Health coverage is significantly important to all citizens as it aims to improve health. More people can access health services including preventive services that minimize the burden brought about by diseases. More programs like the CHIP and Medicaid should be implemented to encourage more people to receive health coverage for improved health. The programs should be made more affordable to accommodate all persons including those from poor backgrounds.

References DeVoe, J. E. (2013). Being Uninsured Is Bad for Your Health: Can Medical Homes Play a Role in Treating the Uninsurance Ailment? Annals of Family Medicine, 11(5): 473–476. Key Facts about the Uninsured Population. (2017, November 29). Retrieved from Kaiser Family Foundation: https://www.kff.org/uninsured/fact-sheet/key-facts-about-the-uninsured-population/ The Uninsured. (2012, September 01). Retrieved from Kaiser Family Foundation: https://www.kff.org/health-reform/fact-sheet/the-uninsured-and-the-difference-health-insurance/