Solving the problem of the uninsured

During the past 12 years, the number of uninsured has continued to climb. A sign of hope occurred in 1999, however; a decline of 1.7 million people was registered. While this decrease brings optimism of a new downward trend replacing the old upward trend, the number of uninsured remains unacceptably high-42.6 million people. Additionally, a significant portion of the 1.7 million people who were able to obtain health insurance were individuals covered by employment-based insurance, leading one to believe that the decline in the uninsured that we saw in 1999 might be connected to the US economy's full employment status. Supporting this thought is the Census Bureau's finding that the 10.4 million poor who had no health insurance in 1998 did not change significantly in 1999. This article provides a profile of the uninsured and describes how health care's evolution towards a market place commodity has contributed to America's unacceptably high number of uninsured. After reviewing various programs and initiatives launched in an attempt to expand health care coverage, a summary of problems with the current program is provided. An alternative is offered.