Why Coverage Matters
Being uninsured has unacceptable consequences:
- Uninsured adults are more likely than insured adults to suffer extremely poor outcomes, including brain damage, stroke and death
- Uninsured adults are more likely than insured adults to be diagnosed at an advanced stage of cancer
- Uninsured adults with congestive heart failure are at greater risk of death than insured adults
- Uninsured adults with diabetes have significantly worse glycemic control than insured adults
- Uninsured adults are more likely than insured adults to die after heart attack
- Uninsured adults hospitalized for serious medical conditions are at greater risk than insured adults of higher mortality in hospital and for at least 2 years after admission
- Uninsured adults are less likely than insured adults to be aware of hypertension and, if hypertensive, more likely to have inadequate blood pressure control
- After an unintentional injury, uninsured adults are less likely than insured adults to fully recover and more likely to report subsequent declines in health status. Uninsured adults in severe automobile accidents have a substantially higher mortality rate[1]
[1] America’s Uninsured Crisis: Consequences for Health and Health Care: Report Brief 2009, Institute of Medicine