Uninsured

Uninsured refers to individuals or groups who do not have insurance, particularly health insurance. The term is most commonly used in the context of healthcare, where it refers to those who lack coverage by an insurance policy or a government program such as Medicaid or Medicare.

Causes

The primary reason for being uninsured is the high cost of insurance coverage. Other factors include changes in employment, changes in family situation such as divorce, or the belief that one is healthy and does not need insurance.

Consequences

Being uninsured can have serious health and financial consequences. Uninsured individuals are less likely to receive preventive care, are more likely to be hospitalized for avoidable health problems, and have worse health outcomes. They also face the risk of catastrophic medical expenses.

Uninsured in the United States

In the United States, the number of uninsured individuals has been a major policy issue. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, was enacted in 2010 with the goal of reducing the number of uninsured. However, as of 2018, approximately 27.5 million people, or 8.5% of the population, were still uninsured.

See also

• Health insurance
• Healthcare in the United States
• Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Uninsured Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? WikiMD's DocFinder can help find general and specialist physicians.	Latest articles Most recent articles Ongoing trials.