|
 Millions
of Americans still cannot gain access to the health care they
need because they lack health insurance. According to recent
census data, more than 1.4 million people lost their health
insurance in 2001, pushing the total number of uninsured to
over 41 million. Contrary to widespread belief, the problem
is not confined simply to unemployed or poor individuals.
More than half of the uninsured report annual incomes of more
than $75,000 and eight out of 10 are in working families.
The sluggish economy, sharp increases in health care costs,
and rising state and federal budget deficits have put existing
public and private coverage programs at risk, making the coverage
problem even more precarious.
Forty-four percent of the country’s large employers
increased health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses
to their employees in 2002, with more than three-fourths expected
to do the same in 2003. States facing large deficits have
already started cutting back on their state-administered,
publicly-supported coverage programs.
Although lack of coverage is the threshold barrier for many
Americans who need health care, other Americans often find
their access to services restricted in other ways. Where a
person lives, the language he or she speaks and factors like
race or ethnicity may have a dramatic effect on the quality
of health care that a patient ultimately receives. A recent
survey showed that 94 percent of health care providers rated
the communication between a doctor and patient as the top
issue affecting the quality of care, and more than seven out
of 10 stated that language barriers limit a patient's understanding
of treatment advice and of disease.
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