The Underinsured
The number of underinsured U.S. adults-people who have health coverage but are not adequately protected from high medical expenses-has risen dramatically. A Commonwealth Fund study published by the journal Health Affairs in June finds that as of 2007, there were an estimated 25 million underinsured adults in the U.S., 60 percent more than the 16 million who were underinsured in 2003. Most of this growth came from rising uninsured rates among middle- and higher-income families7.
It is estimated that over 50 percent of the underinsured forego needed medical care, doctor visits and prescription filling annually. Such under-treatment often leads to the escalation of minor ailments into serious problems in the future, which require more expensive treatment. The cost will ultimately be a serious burden on the individual or fall on the state.
7 How Many Are Underinsured? Trends Among U.S. Adults, 2003 and 2007 http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/Publications/In-the-Literature/2008/Jun/How-Many-Are-Underinsured--Trends-Among-U-S--Adults--2003-and-2007.aspx