No Health Insurance
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About 100 years ago big parts of “poor” London still did not even have a sewage system. Many people were malnourished because of the poverty, even those who were lucky enough to have full-time jobs. Children aged 11 and 12 who were working fourteen hours per day in factories was not at all out of the ordinary.
Great Britain has come a long way in just 100 years. So has America. Just think back to how bad things were in the 1930's during the Great Depression. Or the food rationing that took place during WWII.
But before we start patting ourselves on the backs too much we need to realize that in some ways America not only is no longer making progress, it is actually going backwards.
Some authorities estimate that roughly 40 million Americans have no health insurance, private or public, and the number has grown steadily over the past 25 years. And about 20 million people who are working are in the same situation.
The problem of not having health insurance is pervasive among workers in every state but the situation is worst in Texas. States with the highest rates of uninsured residents among employed adults include Texas (27 percent), New Mexico (23 percent), Louisiana (23 percent), Florida (22 percent), Montana (21 percent), Oklahoma (21 percent), Nevada (20 percent and Arkansas (20 percent).
A recent report looked at health coverage for Californians under age 65. It found that California continues to trail the nation, with 22 percent of the population under the age of 65 lacking insurance as compared to only 18 percent nationally. Eighteen percent of a total population of 300 million comes out to 54 million people living in America without health insurance. This is more than the total population of France at 46 million, or the 45 million Spaniards.
In the 21st century, in the last remaining super power and the wealthiest country on the face of the planet, having this many people without any health insurance coverage at all is absolutely shameful.
In America it is almost a basic human right to have safe some sort of a roof over your head, and running water which is safe to drink. Not fancy private room coverage, or top of the line health insurance, but very basic health insurance for EVERYONE should fit into this same category as one of the basic human rights.
About 100 years ago big parts of “poor” London still did not even have a sewage system. Many people were malnourished because of the poverty, even those who were lucky enough to have full-time jobs. Children aged 11 and 12 who were working fourteen hours per day in factories was not at all out of the ordinary.
Great Britain has come a long way in just 100 years. So has America. Just think back to how bad things were in the 1930's during the Great Depression. Or the food rationing that took place during WWII.
But before we start patting ourselves on the backs too much we need to realize that in some ways America not only is no longer making progress, it is actually going backwards.
Some authorities estimate that roughly 40 million Americans have no health insurance, private or public, and the number has grown steadily over the past 25 years. And about 20 million people who are working are in the same situation.
The problem of not having health insurance is pervasive among workers in every state but the situation is worst in Texas. States with the highest rates of uninsured residents among employed adults include Texas (27 percent), New Mexico (23 percent), Louisiana (23 percent), Florida (22 percent), Montana (21 percent), Oklahoma (21 percent), Nevada (20 percent and Arkansas (20 percent).
A recent report looked at health coverage for Californians under age 65. It found that California continues to trail the nation, with 22 percent of the population under the age of 65 lacking insurance as compared to only 18 percent nationally. Eighteen percent of a total population of 300 million comes out to 54 million people living in America without health insurance. This is more than the total population of France at 46 million, or the 45 million Spaniards.
In the 21st century, in the last remaining super power and the wealthiest country on the face of the planet, having this many people without any health insurance coverage at all is absolutely shameful.
In America it is almost a basic human right to have safe some sort of a roof over your head, and running water which is safe to drink. Not fancy private room coverage, or top of the line health insurance, but very basic health insurance for EVERYONE should fit into this same category as one of the basic human rights.
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Link to PBS: http://www.pbs.org/healthcarecrisis/uninsured.html
