In 2020, 8.6 percent of people, or 28.0 million, did not have health
insurance at any point during the year. The percentage of people
with health insurance coverage for all or part of 2020 was 91.4.
(Starkey & Bunch, 2021). Who are the uninsured? Low-income
families are more likely to be uninsured, due to the high cost of
healthcare. As a result, they are less likely to seek preventative care
compared to people who are insured. Following the enactment of the
ACA in 2010, when coverage for young adults below age 26 and
early Medicaid expansion went into effect, the number of uninsured
people and the uninsured rate began to drop. When the major ACA
coverage provisions went into effect in 2014, the number of
uninsured and uninsured rates dropped dramatically and continued
to fall. (Tolbert, Orgera, & Damico, 2020). However, there are still
many who are uninsured and the consequences are unmonitored
chronic conditions. Part of the reason for poor access among the
uninsured is that many (40.8%) do not have a regular place to go
when they are sick or need medical advice. Uninsured people with
chronic diseases are less likely to receive appropriate care to manage
their health conditions than are those who have health insurance. For
the five disease conditions that the Committee examined (diabetes,
cardiovascular disease, end-stage renal disease, HIV infection, and
mental illness), uninsured patients have worse clinical outcomes than
insured patients. Poor outcomes and health can affect economic
growth, Health contributes to individual utility or social welfare in
three ways. First, people prefer to be more healthy than less healthy
(i.e. health directly affects utility). In economic terms, it is an
argument in the utility or social welfare function. Second, the
enjoyment of consumption of other goods and services is partly
influenced by the level of health (i.e. marginal utility derived from
consumption is partly a function of health status). Third, without
good health other economic objectives, such as producing income
that allows people to consume market goods, stand to be
compromised.
The pros for not having insurance are less utilization of medical
resources, this causes a less financial burden for the government and
state. The uninsured avoid paying high premium rates for medical
coverage. Most people who are uninsured come from low to fix
income households. Another perspective is the idea of being young
and healthy. We are a reactive society and only seek medical
attention when we are sick. If we eat right, remain active then there
is no need to go to the doctor and seek care. However the lack of
preventative care can be costly and drain the healthcare system if
people's chronic conditions are left untreated.
References:
Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on the Consequences of
Uninsurance (2002) Care without coverage: Too Little, Too Late
National Academies Press.
Website: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK220636/
Starkey, K. & Bunch, L. (2021) Health Insurance Coverage in the
United States: 2020
Website: https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2021/demo/
p60-274.html
Tolbert, J. & Orgera, K. (2020) Key Facts about the Uninsured
Population Website: https://www.kff.org/uninsured/issue-brief/key-
facts-about-the-uninsured-population/
