Sickle Cell

In addition to those who are unemployed, you also have the Americans that are employed and still uninsured. These Americans either choose not to have health insurance or they are still unable to afford it. I have been there, I had to choose more money on my paycheck over having health insurance. For most, being uninsured is not a choice, insurance is simply unaffordable. In an article on The Economic Impact Of The Uninsured it states that “eighty percent of uninsured people are employed, or live in a home where a family member is employed. Their plight has nothing to do with a slow economy” (Knowledge@Emory). More young Americans look at insurance as a luxury not a necessity. However, when the unknown happens then these young people are faced with an enormous

So why don’t these people get insurance? Well, as is so often quoted, “money makes the world go round.” When it comes to health insurance however, it is not the world, but only America that seems to have a problem with providing health care for a reasonable price to its citizens. 55 percent of uninsured people answered that the reason they are without the safety of insurance is the reason everyone expects--they cannot afford it (NRHA 1).

Findings from Squires and Blumenthal (2016) showed that only 8.9 percent of Americans are now uninsured, and since the Affordable Care Act went into effect in 2010 there are 20 million more Americans who now have health insurance and access to affordable care.

or she can get low-cost health care at a nearby community health center. These health care

A. To start off, currently, in the U.S., about 16 percent of our current population, which is about 44 million people, do not have any health insurance. To insurance companies, healthcare is not a right, like it is in countries like France, it is something that they just currently use as a profit. For them, customers are an asset, because unlike paying for a house or car, you never own insurance. Although the U.S. spends the most on insurance and healthcare, it still ranks as only 37th in the world for health care quality according to the World Health Report.

Some of the reasons some of the individuals may not want to buy health insurance the deductibles and premiums are very high and you pay way to much money for it. You also have to qualify for private health insurance.

Nearly 48 million Americans had no health care coverage in 2005, and the number will

Vulnerable populations is a term that creates an image of distinct and narrow-minded minority though the vulnerability of every individual to illness, disease, and injury has made health insurance necessary and probable for a huge portion of the American population. Vulnerable populations in the United States includes parents and children of immigrants, race/ethnic minorities, the disabled poor, the elderly, foster children, families ineligible for welfare, prison inmates and former offenders, children with special care needs, and residents of rural areas. However, the uninsured population has developed to become one of the vulnerable populations in the United States because of the risks and dangers associated with the lack of health insurance. As a result of the increased of the number of the uninsured, they have a huge financial impact on the vulnerable population.

In 2014, only 11.4% of the U.S. population was uninsured. In result of the Employer Mandate, employer-based insurance covered the largest population of people covering roughly 55% of the U.S. population. Due to the Medicaid Expansion, more elderly people were covered with 19.5 percent and Medicare with 16%. Since 2010, over 30 states across the country plus the District of Columbia have seen improvements in the access of healthcare for the poor, elderly, children, and low-income adults. In the states of Kentucky and Arkansas, people going in for check-up appointments rose by 8%. An 8% rise of people going in to see a doctor for a routine checkup.

Even with employer-sponsored programs and federal programs for those who qualify, many Americans are uninsured. Over 46 million Americans had no health insurance in 2006, and 86.7 million went without health insurance at some point in 2007 and 2008 (“Health Care Issues”). Why has the number of uninsured risen so drastically and why are employer-sponsored programs dwindling?

As of 2012, the percentage of Hispanics without health insurance was 29.1 percent Center for

1. Over 41 million Americans have no health care insurance according to the U.S. Bureau of Census.

Because of advances in technology and medicine, people are living longer lives. This is another reason for increased cost. The average age of insurance members today is 60 years old. By the year 2008, approximately 15 percent of the U.S. population will be 65 years old or older. (Blue Cross/Blue Shield, 2006, Healthcare costs).

Data was taken from the Central Texas Region and 3 tables were drawn breaking down the factors of health and income. The evidence suggest that for Central Texas residents surveyed making $35,000 or less had a higher percentage of being uninsured. This correlates with economic status and jobs such as blue collar workers as opposed to those white collar occupations, specifically those in the community averaging a yearly income of $15,000 - $35,000 had no health care coverage of approximately 30%. Upon further analyzing the second graph the number 1 reason the community suggested at 30% for not having health care coverage

8% of employees have no health insurance from any source, with low-wage/low-income employees less likely to have access and least likely to use even if they do have access.