Don’t some people choose not to have health insurance so that they can buy other things?
How many Americans, after they pay rent and food necessities, can not afford any type of health insurance? I imagine it is a large number, but it is in no way 50 million people.
I would bet there are plenty of people driving sweet cars that do not have health insurance.
Home | Insurance | Blog article: Of the 50 million Americans without health insurance, how many can really not afford it?
Nightmare of our forefathers 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
Of the supposed 46 million without healthcare:
- 10 million are illegal immigrants who have no right to US health insurance.
- 9 million have incomes over $75K a year and CHOOSE NOT TO have it or who don’t have it for 6 months or less.
-12 million are eligible for Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance program but didn’t sign up.
So at least 31 million are uninsured in ways that require no fix from the federal government. So the government wants to screw it up for the 250 million who are happy with having the best care in the world the way it is now.
But American’s don’t go down so easily into that socialist cesspool. Myself and other colleague physicians plan to just accept paying only customers under Obamacare. See how that "free" access works out for you slackers. We can offer better care at less cost to the patient, by cutting out the middle man…insurance companies and definitely the govt. Just let the free market work people. It always has, but socialism never has.
White Hare 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
How many really CAN’T afford it? 100 million
Noodle Taco 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
all the Mcdonald workers could…. $7.50/hr is way too much money
skii_tyme 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
You’re making the statement, so you have to back it up with facts.
"I imagine" is not good enough.
regular american 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
People don’t have trouble spending money on cable TV, cell phones, iPods, Blackberries, movie tickets, junk food, wheel covers , tattoos. You know , the essentials.
Captain Awesome 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
Something like 1/4 of them are illegal immigrants, 1/2 are eligible for Medicare or Medicaid but just havent enrolled in it, and the 1/4 can afford it but for whatever reason don’t.
catman 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
let’s see, if I don’t get caught lying about smoking,
I guess I could afford $1600 a year for insurance
with highest deductible allowed and then get screwed
when they find out I smoke so why pay?
cbmttek 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
First things first
The correct term is "underinsured" There are only around 10 million uninsured.
Second, I agree. There are plenty of people that can afford a LOT of luxuries, but complain when it comes to paying for health insurance.
Healthcare is a service, just like cell phone service. If you want it, pay for it. If you truly cannot afford it, there are already government programs in place to assist with your monthly expenses.
Too many people in the US buy their luxuries first, then beg for their necessities.
John D "Your ad here" 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
"Something like 1/4 of them are illegal immigrants, 1/2 are eligible for Medicare or Medicaid but just havent enrolled in it, and the 1/4 can afford it but for whatever reason don’t".
Why do I get the feeling you pulled those figures out of your butt?
***
To the question: The main point is that universal coverage would reduce health costs by treating people earlier and reducing the adminstrative overhead that now consumes 30 cents of every dollar spent on health care. Under Medicare and Medicaid, it’s around ten cents.
Sheesh 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
not many.
the sames ones who say they can’t afford it are watching 50" TVs, eating out, playing on a home video game system, talking on cel phones, wearing jewelry and good clothes and generally refusing to make health insurance a priority in their budget.
if you don’t have ANY bills except rent/utilities/groceries/vehicle (no blingbling car) and then you can’t afford to pay for health care, then you qualify for medicaid or one of the other many state programs set up for poor people.
BloodBath 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
yes, it is 50 million. If they could afford it it will be less.
I am one of those 50 million
funlady6632@yahoo.com 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
It’s not that they can’t afford it….they just want it provided to them free of charge. Granted, some can’t but a good many, as you said, would rather spend their money on the luxuries they somehow think they are entitled to! Question for Bloodbat? Do you have cable or a dish, cell phone, etc. Obviously you have a computer and no doubt a DSL! What do you spend on nails, hair and other "beauty supplies"? What kind of car are you driving? Just curious.
Douglas GG 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
Many people choose not to have health care. Minorities, the poor, students etc. are the biggest in this categories.
50 million is actually a good figure, as much of the low income heath insurance is not very good and politicians always try to make the figure lower than it is.
That’s what you get when you have the worst health care system in the developed world.
Sheri 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
I’m sure that not all 50 million can not afford it- but I would bet that of that 50 million, there are many (maybe 40 million) who really can not afford it. Remember, most of America is middle class and most of these middle class of self employed. This number of 50 million not insured is probably more than in the past because the self-employed people are not making nearly as much money and because many people have lost their job and can not afford the cobra coverage. Just to give you an idea of insurance premiums – I’m self employed – to insure myself, my husband and my daughter is $900 PER MONTH with a $5000 deductible for the each of us (which means I have to pay $5000 before they will cover anything – and this is every year). I mean think about that – 900 x 12 months = 10800 plus a $5000 ded. per person $15000 equals a total of $25,800 per year – now maybe you understand why people don’t have health insurance – I don’t right now because my business is not even making enough to pay my housing expenses. The minute I can afford it again, I’ll get it, but right now, unfortunately, I don’t have a money tree growing in my back yard.
MoltarRocks 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
Funny, that 50 million figure is a moving target.
What??? 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
I have freinds that are docotgors and they tell me over and over again there is plenty of free care out there for those without insurance. They are able to get better care than one without. If a guy needs a lung transplant he is more likely to recive it without insurance.
One is a hand surgeon and says she only gets paid about 3 days out of the week on most weeks and some she doesn’t get paid at all. every docotor does that because they made an oath to care for the patients not their pocket book.
PARVFAN 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
10-20%. The rest are illegal immigrants and those who refuse to pay for it and want it for free. Peace
soulguy85 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
Well, considering that you’re still living at home and under your Daddies plan, you really wouldn’t have a clue.
The Language Police 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
My wife has a congenital spine disease. With this condition it is IMPOSSIBLE for her to get health insurance that we can afford (and still pay rent, electricity, food and water). Without surgery she will be unable to have children. This has been a horrible ordeal for us, so until you walk in other people’s shoes, I suggest every one of you self-righteous a-holes keep your mouths shut about other people’s problems. I’m not a democrat. This isn’t political. This is people’s lives. This is real life. Quit playing games with our future. Please.
Gnosisquest 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
It is not just a matter of being able to afford it; medical coverage costs me over $8000.00 per year and is by far the worst health care I ever received: Yes I have received medical in Denmark, Canada and Norway which is far superior.
In the US under socialized medicine I would have to pay between two and three thousand a year, now why do I want to throw away the other $6000.00 a year so some wealthy insurance organization can fatten their bank accounts and give me less in return for my money?
HMO medical coverage compares with socialized medicine like prostitution compares with true love.
The doctors in the US are not worse than doctors in other countries it is the medical boards that prevent them from practicing that make it so bad.
ibu guru 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
Beware those statistics! They include illegal aliens (who intentionally do not buy health insurance, whether they can get it or not since they consider health care to be "free" by showing up at ERs), and immigrants, who often come from countries where health insurance is not common and so are unfamiliar with it. At least 20 million, perhaps closer to 25 million fall into these categories. So the number of Americans without health insurance runs about 25 million.
Younger people are less likely to get health insurance. If available, they tend to see no need for it.
Since over a quarter of medical bills are costs shifted from non-paying patients (predominently illegal aliens), and another quarter of costs are administrative and regulatory costs for billing, paperwork, etc, about half of uninsured Americans would be able to afford health insurance if these costs were eliminated, thereby cutting their insurance premiums & medical bills by 50+%. In short, govt is the cause of the health insurance crisis and there is no way more govt is going to cure the crisis it caused.
Where people pay their medical bills and then get reimbursed by their insurance (if they bother to get it), prices for state-of-the-art medical care can be 18% of US costs. This is why about half a million Americans per year are "medical tourists" to places like Mexico, Dominican Republic, Panama, Thailand, Singapore, India, etc. Even adding plane fare and a couple weeks recuperation in a 5-star hotel, they save over 50%, and often 60-75% of US prices.
BTW, in my state, private health insurance (for someone whose small employer does not have group health) starts at over $1000/month for a single person, $1200 for a couple, $1300 for a family. Singles are subsidizing other people, although the actuarial data show singles use health insurance less than half as much as either spouse in a couple. The state program starts at $700/mo (single). No prescriptions, no dental, no vision included. No single person making under $100,000 (remember half goes to taxes!) can pay $1000/mo, even if they live in a rather ratty little studio apartment at $1200/mo. Metro NYC.
Jimbo 9:01 pm on February 4, 2010
Your question should be, where the hell in the United States Constitution is health insurance and health care a right afforded the people under the Constitution? It isn’t and therefore the federal government has no business or authority to be involved in it.
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