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The Uninsured Population in America

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What is the latest estimate of the number of uninsured in te U.S. and what accouts for the differences between adults and children?

Why are the over age 65 population generaly not included in the number of uninsured?

What are the major barriers to health care that are the result of not having insurance and what type of agencies often contact the uninsured?

What are the major health care outcomes for people without health insurance?

Who are the uninsured and what are their major characteristics regarding level of poverty, working status, racial make-up, and the size of the firm where they work?

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Solution Summary

By addressing the questions, this solution examines various dimensions of the uninsured populations in America e.g., children, people over 65, barriers to buying health insurance, and others. Supplemented with resources on the statistics (1998 - 2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009), profiles and options for the uninsured. Last updated on March 3, 2009.

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Please refer to attached response files. I added one reference for the last question, as well, one that you may find helpful. I hope this helps and take care.

UPDATED MARCH 3, 2009.

America's Uninsured Statistics (EXCERPT)

The Census Bureau last reported in 2007 that over 47 million people lack health insurance. The new statistic is an increase from 2005 Census numbers showing America's uninsured at 44.8 million. It correlates the U.S population now lacking health insurance at 15.8%, which is the highest level since 1998.

The Census also shows that there are 19.3% of American children in poverty whom lack insurance. Hispanics are the race with the highest rate of no insurance with over 15.3 million uninsured in 2006. Blacks with no insurance increased to 20.5% from 19%, while the rate of whites without insurance statistically remained the same at 10.8%. Asians are the only ones whom statistics show improved with the rate falling to 15.5% from 17.2%.

Low-income households obviously have the highest uninsured rates as many of the low-wage jobs don't offer insurance. However, 1.3 million more workers (full and part-time) also went uninsured according to the previous 2005 Census records.

Workers are going without or declining coverage for several reasons, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, a non-partisan group in Washington. D.C. Insurance premiums, which are rising faster than wages, are causing workers to struggle with the cost, so they're declining coverage. Employers are also offering fewer options.

A typical family plan offered by employers is approximately $11,480.00. Consequently, fewer workers are enrolling, even when employers do provide insurance. The most surprising-and scary-statistic that the Census Bureau provided is that the uninsured rate rose fastest among households with annual incomes above $75,000, going from 7.7% in 2005 to 8.5%.

Health insurance deductions come out of your check before taxes, which makes it more valuable per dollar than the same amount in taxable pay. Generally, health insurance companies pay lower prices to doctors and hospitals than you would pay on your own.

OTHER STATISTICS:

America's Lack of Health Insurance

Here are more statistics about those lacking Insurance and its effects.

Did You Know...

* ...that the most recent government data available shows that 16% of the United States?almost 47 million Americans?were without health insurance in 2005?1
* ...the number of people lacking health insurance has increased by almost 9 million people since 2000, rising by 2.2 million between 2005 and 2006?1
* ...80% of the uninsured are native or naturalized citizens?2
* ...in 2006 the increase in people was focused among working age adults? The percentage of working adults, ages 18-64, without health coverage climbed from 19.7% in 2005 to 20.2% in 2006.1
* ...nearly 1.3 million full-time workers lost their health insurance coverage in 2006?7
* ...that in 2006 or 2007 one-third of the population below the age of 65-about 90 million people ? spent a portion of either 2006 or 2007 without any health insurance?3
* ...over 8 in 10 uninsured people come from working families? 70% are from families with one or more full-time workers; 11 %are from families with part-time workers?2
* ...that those with employment-based health insurance (workers and dependents) has dropped from 70 percent in 1987 to 59 ...

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