ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the basic policy practice questions raised in the early stages of analysis. People who lack health insurance are more likely to lack a usual source or provider of care, to spend more on health services, and to experience more problems with treatment, quality of care, and continuity of care. Some analysts have argued that the Census Bureau exaggerates the scope of the problem because its data really does measure the number of people who lack coverage at a point in time, rather than those without coverage for an entire year. Lack of health insurance is a problem in every state and region of the country, but varies by geographic location, and depends on differences in economic conditions and employment patterns, state Medicaid policies, availability of employer-based coverage, and demographics. The uninsured population is more likely to be hospitalized for diabetes, hypertension, and other problems that are often treated with ambulatory care.
