Top Ten Myths about the Uninsured
- The uninsured are all alike.
- There were 44 million uninsured Americans in 2002.
- Coverage is coverage is coverage.
- Individuals without health insurance choose to be so.
- U.S. employers pay $400 billion for workers' health care.
- Workers used to be reluctant to switch jobs; HIPAA fixed that.
- Health insurance would surely improve the health status of the uninsured.
- Universal coverage would eliminate health disparities.
- A worker's decision to remain uninsured has no effect on anyone else.
- Economists don't really know why people are uninsured.
From:
Top Ten Myths about the Uninsured, an event launching the new Urban Institute Press book, Health Policy and the Uninsured, edited by Catherine G. McLaughlin. Wednesday, February 11, 2004
