CRISIS OF THE UNINSURED: 2008

[HT:SE]
According to figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of uninsured fell from 47.0 million to 45.7 million. In fact, the proportion of people without health insurance was a percentage-point lower in 2007 than a decade earlier (16.3 percent in 1998).

The slight increase in the number of uninsured over the past decade is largely due to immigration and population growth -- and to individual choice:

• Nearly 85 percent (253.5 million) of U.S. residents were privately insured or enrolled in a government health program, such as Medicare, Medicaid, S-CHIP, etc.
• Nearly 18 million of the uninsured lived in households with annual incomes above $50,000 and could likely afford health insurance.
• Up to 14 million uninsured adults and children qualified for government programs in 2004 but had not enrolled, according to the BlueCross BlueShield Association.

So about 32 million people, or 70 percent of the uninsured, could easily obtain coverage but have chosen to forgo insurance, explains Herrick.

That means that about 95 percent of United States residents either have health coverage or access to it.

A uniform tax credit would go a long way toward helping the remaining 5 percent afford coverage.

READ MORE