Growing Number of Uninsured in the United States, Essay Example

The problem of uninsured people in the United States has been a problem for decades. However, the problem has elevated to a serious and precarious level.  The issue goes beyond just the basic fact that an alarming number of Americans are living without healthcare for themselves and their families. The country is now faced with the choice of insurance going beyond the private sector and into the hands of the government.   Medicare and Medicaid have long been in place and are government run. These plans are already failing; this creates problems for the success rate for turning all plans into government owned and ran.

Mimi Hall and John Fritze of USA Today investigated this issue. There are a variety of questions regarding the growing number of uninsured and what needs to be done to correct the problem.

“The nation’s uninsured — a growing class of people whose recession-fed ranks have swelled to 46.3 million — are central to the health care debate in Washington and the questions about how and whether to get them covered are as vexing and emotional as they come “(para. 1).

Living without health care insurance consists of people from different backgrounds. The reasons for being without insurance envelop several scenarios and leave the uninsured vulnerable, frightened and emotional.

Hall and Fritze (2009) collected data which showed seniors covered by Medicare had the most coverage while minorities, employment status and household income were the problem areas. America has long been called the ‘land of opportunity’ with self owned companies being the American dream. In the United States employer offered healthcare is the most affordable.  Small self employed companies have struggled to obtain affordable health care due to the high cost. The larger the organization the more dealing power they possess. For years it has been common place that individuals who could not afford the large premiums simply went without coverage.

The problem of the growing uninsured in America is a threat to everyone. For those individuals working and having coverage they also live under the threat losing it as quickly as tomorrow.  Job loss has reached exponential portions.  Individuals with pre-existing conditions will likely be forced into joining the ranks of the uninsured.  Porchia Lewis was working full time and raising her three children as a single mom. When the recession hit she lost her job and her health care benefits (Hall, 2009).  Patrick Bruce, a self employed man, lost his health care benefits after a divorce.  With a previous heart attack he cannot afford the premiums with a private insurance company due to his pre-existing condition (Hall, 2009).

The problem of the uninsured begins at a basic level. The inability of a large portion of the United States population to access health care services in a systematic and medically competent manner is a consequence of social and economic developments which predate and underpin individual life histories (Sered & Fernandopulle, 2009).  The structure of health care in the U.S. has long centered on employment based insurance provisions. This worked well after World War II. Through time this has evolved into an increasingly problematic situation. Job stability has lowered and greed has fragmented the health care system.

The faulty health care system along with political dominance of the medical, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries has allowed health care costs to soar out of proportion (Sered & Fernandopulle, 2009).  As the cost of health care rises employers are forced to look at alternative benefits to offer their employees and move away from providing costly health care.  This creates a downward turn for society. Loss of health care coverage creates untreated health concerns. As the uninsured get sicker and are forced to visits emergency rooms in non-profit hospitals, it creates higher premiums for the insured. This paradox is extremely difficult to resolve or rise above.

Becoming amongst the ranks of the uninsured, whether through job loss, outsourcing, divorce or serious accident, can happen at any time and to anyone. “Given the number and diversity of entrances, all Americans, except for a small number of extremely rich individuals, are vulnerable” (Sered & Fernandopulle, 2009).  Some individuals simply do not understand how the health care system works. Without health care access these individuals are left to care for themselves; creating more health concerns. People will self-medicate with over-the-counter medications, often supplementing with alcohol or illegal drugs when desperate.

The growing number of the uninsured has become an epidemic. The mounting number is considered alarming. Preventive medicine has been proved to reduce individual costs and insurance costs. However, people who lose their insurance coverage cannot afford routine physicals and annual checkups. This only creates a situation where Americans become sicker creating more costs for the insured. This is becoming a nationwide trend with a third of our nation uninsured. This does not address the problem of the underinsured. The inadequately insured are a problem which eventually leads into becoming uninsured.

The problem of the growing number of insured individuals began decades ago and has progressively escalated due to the recession. “The growing number of uninsured Americans is projected to increase by at least 6.9 million by 2010” (Hiebert-White, 2009). This is a rate which has continued with a heavy predicted impact for the future. The economic downturn and sluggish income growth for personal income is a driving factor (Hiebert-White, 2009).  While the government is debating this issue and considering options, the problem will not just go away in the near future. A solid and practical solution will undoubtedly be multifold and cover the vast amounts of reasons for the uninsured population.

Current government administration is heavily involved in how to deal with the growing number of uninsured in America. While part of the problem of the growing number is the unemployment rate in a struggling economy, the insured population is also dealing with rising costs of health care. This proposes the threat of individuals forgoing necessary medical treatment creating a sicker nation. Uninsured people are more likely to prematurely die.

In summary the growing number of uninsured in the United States consists of people from all backgrounds. The threat of becoming uninsured is a serious reality which Americans must treat as such. Society can no longer view the uninsured as homeless or reckless but have to realize this problem is expanding into every level of personal circumstances. Whether or not the government should or will be able to assist in a solution is yet to be seen. The reality is that as the number of uninsured grows and the nation becomes sicker, the problem will continue to cycle back upon itself until a solid and reliable solution can be constructed.

Works Cited

Hall, Mimi, Fritze, John. “Health care: Five Faces of the Uninsured”. USA Today. September 25, 2009. Retrieved December 13, 2009 from http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/2009-09-22-faces-uninsured_N.htm

Hiebert-White, Jan. “52 Million Uninsured Americans by 2010.” June 2, 2009. Retrieved December 13, 2009 from http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2009/06/02/52-million-uninsured-americans-by-2010

Sered, Susan Starr, Fernandopulle, Rushika. “Uninsured in Americ: Life and Death in the Land of Opportunity.” University of California Press. 2009. Retrived December 13, 2009 from http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/10379/10379.intro.php