The health care reform debate has been in the media frequently the last few weeks. President Obama stopped in Raleigh on Wednesday to hold a town hall style meeting to discuss not only health care services, but health insurance as well.
A report from the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and Uninsured found that, “Not having health insurance makes a difference in people’s access to needed medical care and their financial security.”
Did you know that the uninsured are:
· Less likely to get preventive care such as screenings and check-ups,
· Less likely to follow through with recommended treatment such as drug prescriptions,
· More likely to be hospitalized for illness that could have been prevented,
· More likely to put off necessary health care due to inability to pay, and are
· More likely to die in the hospital than those who do have health insurance.
Opinions differ on how to best cover Americans without health insurance. The debate continues and probably will for some time. The only thing that is clear is that change needs to happen to help an estimated 45 million in the U.S. without health insurance.
