Despite a recent Census Bureau report stating that previous estimates overstated the number of insured Americans in 2005, the uninsured population continues to grow rapidly and is at an unacceptable level, says Commonwealth Fund president Karen Davis. The Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation that aims to promote a high-performing healthcare system that achieves better access to care. The revised Census Bureau figures estimate that 1.8 million fewer people were uninsured in 2005 than previously estimated.
“Few could argue that 44.8 million people living without insurance is an acceptable number,” said Davis in a statement, “particularly in a nation that spends nearly twice as much per capita on health care as any other country. We know that people living without healthcare coverage are less likely to get prompt access to doctors, to receive appropriate preventive care, or to be able to manage chronic conditions. They also face mounting medical debt.”
Davis also points out that in addition to the high number of uninsured, 16 million people are underinsured. Read the Census Bureau report.
