The USA's crisis of the uninsured.

摘要

Roughly 457 million Americans-15% of the country's population-lack health insurance. Both wealthy and poorer states have almost a quarter of residents between the ages of 18 years and 64 years uninsured. The US Congressional Budget Office predicts that, nationwide, the number of uninsured people will rise by 10 million in the next decade. Andthis in a country where health-care expenditure alone is estimated to exceed USDollars 2-5 trillion this year. That a lack of health insurance matters and has devastating consequences on people's health is the conclusion of the just released report by the US Institute of Medicine entitled America's Uninsured Crisis: Consequences for Health and Health Care. The report shows that there is a direct link between ill health and being uninsured, and a health benefit when health insurance is acquired. The research resulted from an independent assessment of published scientific studies and surveys by a broad team of experts in medical care, emergency medicine, health policy, business, and economics.