November 19, 2011 - Los Angeles-- I went down to "Occupy LA" to hear what they were saying about the Affordable Care Act, aka "Obamacare." I did not find that discussion, however, I did find a free health fair in progress and I stopped and chatted. It was given by United Healthcare Workers union (SEIU-UHW) and they were there in support and solidarity with the Occupy movement.
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It is unconscionable that 50 million people, almost one in four, in the United States of America, do not have health insurance. Massachusetts is the state in the union with the lowest number of uninsured -- the state with the health plan that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is patterned after. So, why is the health reform bill so maligned? Why is insuring 95% of the population a bad thing? Well, that is the multi-trillion dollar question.
Occupy Healthcare!
Health is wealth. Access to healthcare is a human right. We are not here to talk politics, we are here to save lives.
According to the American Journal of Public Health being uninsured raises the odds of dying by 40 percent. Hence, lack of health insurance causes 44,798 deaths each year. The minority population bares the brunt of this due to unemployment, underemployment and poverty. The lack of health insurance causes delay in treatment which leads to increased complications and higher mortality rate.
All roads lead back to finances, higher education -- better jobs -- secure housing -- access to healthcare -- sense of well being -- financial security.
Who are the Uninsured?
- Age: The uninsured are disproportionately between the ages of 18 and 34. However, 18-24 year-olds were the only age group to experience a significant decline in the percentage without insurance over the past year, from 29.3% in 2009 to 27.2% in 2010, which represents 500,000 fewer young adults without health insurance. The Affordable Care Act allows children to remain on their parents’ plans until age 26, and this policy took effect for insurance plan renewals beginning on September 23, 2010.
- Race/Ethnicity: In 2010, three in ten individuals of Hispanic origin (30.7%) were uninsured. Blacks were also more likely to be uninsured, with 20.8% lacking insurance, and 18.1% of Asians were uninsured, compared to 11.7% for non-Hispanic whites.
- Employment: Working full-time increases the likelihood of having insurance, though one in seven full-time workers (15.0%) was still uninsured. Uninsured rates were higher among those with a marginal attachment to the labor force. Over a quarter (28.5%) of part-time workers were uninsured, the same percentage as among those who were unemployed.
- Income: Individuals with lower incomes are more likely to be uninsured, although 37% of all uninsured Americans have household incomes above $50,000.
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Percent of the Total Population | Percent of the Uninsured | Uninsured Rate |
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| Age | Under 18 | 24.5% | 14.6% | 9.8% |
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18-24 | 9.7% | 16.2% | 27.2% |
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25-34 | 13.6% | 23.7% | 28.4% |
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35-44 | 13.0% | 17.4% | 21.8% |
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45-64 | 26.4% | 26.5% | 16.3% |
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65 and older | 12.8% | 1.6% | 2.0% |
| Race/ Ethnicity | White | 79.5% | 74.9% | 15.4% |
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White, Non-Hispanic | 64.5% | 46.3% | 11.7% |
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Black | 12.8% | 16.3% | 20.8% |
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Asian | 4.7% | 5.2% | 18.1% |
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Hispanic (any race) | 16.3% | 30.7% | 30.7% |
| Household Income |
Less than $25,000 | 19.6% | 32.4% | 26.9% |
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$25,000-49,999 | 23.1% | 30.9% | 21.8% |
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$50,000-$74,999 | 18.7% | 17.7% | 15.4% |
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$75,000 more | 38.5% | 19.0% | 8.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Income Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010, 2011.
ARTICLES - STATISTICS
Overview of the Uninsured in the United States 2011 Summary
CNN MONEY:Number of people without health insurance climbs
Photos from OccupyLA
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