Cover the Uninsured Week

What is Cover the Uninsured Week?
More about the Problem of the Uninsured in the United States

Cover the Uninsured Week Facts

There are nearly 44 million Americans living without health coverage--including 8.5 million children.

• In 2002, the number of people without health care coverage increased by more than 2 million, the largest one-year increase in a decade.
• Nearly one in three Hispanics lacks health coverage (32.4%)-more than any other racial or ethnic group.
• One in five African Americans is uninsured.

Hard-working Americans are going without health care coverage.

• Eight out of 10 people who are uninsured either work or are in working families.

Many who currently have private health coverage through their jobs are at risk of becoming uninsured.

• Rising costs are placing health coverage out of the reach of millions of working Americans and beyond the means of business owners who would like to provide their employees with affordable health coverage.
• In 2003, employees faced average premium increases of 13.9 percent for private health insurance; with some facing fare steeper price increases.
• State governments, facing severe fiscal constraints, are limiting access to public health coverage programs for working families.

Being uninsured means going without care when it is needed-minor illness become major ones because care is delayed.

• People without health care coverage are four times more likely to experience an avoidable hospital or ER visit and/or stay
• The institute of Medicine has estimated that 18,000 adults in America die each year because they are uninsured.
• Women with breast cancer who don’t have health care coverage are twice as likely to die as those who are covered.
• Uninsured men are nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed at a late stage of colon cancer as those who are covered.
• People without health care coverage live sicker and die younger than those who are covered.

More than one in four uninsured adults have had severe problems paying medical bills, forcing them to significantly change their way of life.

• One significant medical expense can wipe out a family’s bank account.
• Medical bills are a leading cause of bankruptcy and are cited as a reason for half of all personal bankruptcy filings.
• More thank half of working age adults who report serious problems paying medical bills are, or recently were, uninsured.

Finding health coverage solutions for our nation must be a priority.

• Business and union leaders, doctors, nurses, people of faith, community groups, and others have come together to say we must solve this problem.
• Diverse national organizations, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and AFL-CIO are organizing the Week along with The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, The California Endowment and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation proves that Americans can come together to raise awareness and find solutions.
• We are calling on all Americans to learn more about he problem of the uninsured and to get involved in Cover the Uninsured Week. Resources are available on the Cover the uninsured Week Web site, www.CoverTheUninsuredWeek.org