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Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Personally, I think of the uninsured as those who do not have an employer through whom they may purchase reasonably priced health insurance. Am I wrong (read: cite please, not me)?
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All the data you want can be found here
www.kff.org. There is a report called the Chart something dated May 2000 that has the data on who is uninsured.
Unquestionably, most of the uninsured in this country are the working poor who are not offered health insurance through their jobs or who cannot afford the employee contribution. But a surprisingly high number are those who could afford it but say they cannot simply because they are young, healthy, adults who choose to spend their money on other things. About 40% of the uninsured are single or married childless people. About 35% have incomes greater than 200% of the poverty level.
Quote:
Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
There are a lot of jobs that do not offer health insurance, even entirely on the employee's dime,
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Agreed and I also said the working poor are the majority of the uninsured in this country. And for that reason.
Quote:
Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
and buying on your own is outrageously expensive because of the adverse selection problem.
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Not true if you are a young, healthy adult. That is who I am talking about - these people who say that but never even bother to look into how much it costs. I see people who have many luxuries in life but won't pay a couple hundred dollars a month for a Kaiser plan, which is not expensive and that is full coverage even prescriptions. Give up their cell phone and cable and going out to restaurants and they can afford a health insurance policy. A catastrophic plan is dirt cheap (i.e., like $75 a month) for someone who is young and healthy and a nonsmoker.
It is the unhealthy who get screwed if they have to buy an individual policy.
Quote:
Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
In other words, of those who do not have insurance, what percentage are nevertheless eligible to purchase that insurance through an employer or other group plan?
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www.kff.org has that data somewhere on the website. Chart something May 2000 is the document.
