What are the effects of inadequate health insurance on peoples lives?

Lack of adequate insurance coverage puts many healthy people at higher risk for being diagnosed with cancer at a later stage. Too many people including many who are insured but not adequately covered are foregoing early detection testing. In addition, the inadequately insured may experience limits to their benefits, which can interrupt or delay treatment, or force terrible financial choices including bankruptcy. Financially, they experience high or multiple co-pays and limits on number of treatments, visits to the doctors, and prescriptions, to name a few. For those diagnosed with cancer, the financial repercussions can be catastrophic. Among those who were insured during their illness, 22 percent reported having used up all or most of their savings to pay for treatments; 7 percent were unable to pay for basic necessities like food, heat, or housing; and 3 percent declared bankruptcy. Among uninsured cancer patients, 46 percent reported having used up all or most of their savings to ...  more

Lack of adequate insurance coverage puts many healthy people at higher risk for being diagnosed with cancer at a later stage. Too many peopleincluding many who are insured but not adequately coveredare foregoing early detection testing. In addition, the inadequately insured may experience limits to their benefits which can interrupt or delay treatment, or force awful financial choices including bankruptcy. Financially, they experience high or multiple co-pays and limits on number of treatments, visits to the doctors, and prescriptions to name a few. For those diagnosed with cancer, the financial repercussions can be catastrophic. Among those who were insured during their illness, 22 percent reported having used up all or most of their savings to pay for treatments; seven percent were unable to pay for basic necessities like food, heat, or housing; and three percent declared bankruptcy. Among uninsured cancer patients, 46 percent reported having used up all or most of their savings to ...