May 10, 2004

The Cost of Care for the Uninsured: What Do We Spend, Who Pays, and What Would Full Coverage Add to Medical Spending?

Today, there are nearly 44 million Americans without health insurance coverage. A substantial body of research shows that there are serious health and financial consequences associated with being uninsured. Moreover, research shows that leaving a large share of the population without health insurance affects not only those who are uninsured, but also the health and economic wellbeing of the nation. Yet, despite these findings, the number of uninsured Americans continues to grow. Although the national debate over ensuring health coverage for more Americans periodically gains momentum, it then stalls perhaps in part because not enough is known about both the benefits and the costs of expanding coverage to more, if not all, of the uninsured. This issue update contains findings from a new study examining the cost of medical care for the uninsured and how much care the uninsured receive compared to fully insured people.