The Impact of Changing Demographics, Essay Example

North Carolina has been receiving sweeping changes in the demographics in the population over health matters. There is a recent reported change of the number of uninsured children causing a worry over the situation and the prospected future. It is approximated that the number of uninsured children has increased by 10 % reaching 274,783 uninsured children in the current year in north Carolina following extreme case of poverty (Medical News Today, 2008). This is more than one in every eight children in the country (12.8 percent) of uninsured children as per the Families USA report, which is the national health care organization for consumers. Uninsured in this case is the percentage of children who do not have any form of cover by any public or private health insurance (Carmen et al, 2006; Genevieve et al, 2006).

There has been an enormous impact resulting from this phenomenon with many children risking lives and mortality rates rising high at the same extraneous rate of about 12% as compared to the last five years (Lisa & Allison, 2006). The population faces extreme cases of inadequate prenatal care, immunizations, disease prevention, and acute care services for the children due to lack of health insurance and the children are vulnerable to preventable diseases as well as other severe and identifiable existing conditions. In the country, the medical data reveals that over half of the children (uninsured) are 8% less likely to experience a regular source of care; therefore, they resort to emergency rooms in dire need for medical services (Medical News Today, 2008).

North Carolina is a locality with over half the population living below the poverty line, as per the human rights definition (less than a dollar in a day for survival). This has been a challenge because the majority of the population cannot afford quality healthcare not even insurance coverage (Medical News Today, 2008). There is also a high cost of medical service provision making it quite obvious that the poor people shun away from the medical institution risking severity of medical conditions and ultimately prone to high risks of death (Carmen et al, 2006; Genevieve et al, 2006).

Indeed, many efforts have been in place within the state with many parties involved to handle the situation. The SCHIP has been active in the country enhancing the reauthorization process and presenting an opportunity for the country’s health system to increase substantially the federal funding for healthcare that goes to North Carolina and therefore, diversifying the healthcare services for children and ensure the promotion of health in the region (Medical News Today, 2008). The federal lately increased funding for SCHIP and Medicaid by $50 billion. This strategy is on time and well in place to bring the country approximately $1.4 billion in federal children’s health coverage funding for use in a five years period (Lisa & Allison, 2006).The government has also generated efforts to improve the financial status of the population and ensure that they are well able to afford healthcare through enhancing North Carolina’s economy. Over $1.4 billion has been pumped in the economy with a prospect of creating increased business activity by rendering the sector $607 million, $222 million in the increment of wages, and the rest 6,901 in creating additional jobs for the people of North Carolina. This is an extraordinary effort and will soon be reaping esteemed fruits by enabling the residents to pay for their own insurance and enjoy health services (Jennifer & Rachel, 2007).

References

Carmen, D. et al. (2006, August 3). Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2005. Washington: U.S. Census Bureau.

Genevieve, K. et al. (2006, July 5). Children’s Insurance Coverage and Service Use Improve Washington: The Urban Institute.

Jennifer, S. & Rachel, K. (2007). SCHIP Reauthorization: What is at Stake for North Carolina? Families USA Publication No. 07-104NC.

Lisa, D. & Allison, C. (2006, November 28). “The Uninsured and the Affordability of Health Insurance Coverage,” Health Affairs Web exclusive, November 28, 2006.

Medical News Today (2008). Number Of Uninsured Children In North Carolina   Continues To Climb. Retrieved November 3, 2008, from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/127927.php