The Care of the Uninsured in America

About this book

In the US, health care coverage comes in the form of private health insurance such as employer-provided health plans, or public health insurance like Medicare, which covers everyone age 65 and older. But there is a gap between the public and private systems that leaves a huge segment of the US population, an estimated 47 million people, uninsured. Their lack of coverage affects whether they seek out necessary medical care, where they get their care, and ultimately how healthy they are—for example, the uninsured are much less likely to have preventive care, more likely to be hospitalized for avoidable health problems, and more likely to be diagnosed in the late stages of disease. This book examines the health consequences of being uninsured, and the problems of providing care for the uninsured. The authors look at theories of poverty, the roles of gender, age, and ethnicity, with attention paid to special populations such as migrants and refugees, and cultural competency development in health care providers. Throughout the book they look at various models in place for providing care to the uninsured, particularly in chronic disease management, and there is a discussion at the end on universal health care.

Written for: Graduate students and professionals in community health, public health, health policy; health care managers and administrators; policymakers, policy analysts; nurses, physicians

Keywords:

• access to care
• health care
• health care costs
• health disparities
• health insurance
• health policy
• poor
• poverty
• public health
• universal health care

Table of contents

Who are the Uninsured?- Culture of Poverty and the Uninsured.- Why are People Uninsured?- Where do People Get their Health Insurance?- Health Disparities and the Uninsured.- Providers of Care for the Uninsured.- Chronic Care and Disease Management in the Uninsured.- Medication Assistance for the Uninsured.- Special Populations of the Uninsured and Special Care Needs.- The Urban versus the Rural Uninsured.- Community Coalition Building Around Access to Care.- Building Information Systems to Support the Care of the Uninsured.- Creating a Healthier Community-Uninsured and Insured.- Government and Policy.