The Health Care Crisis: 47 Million Can't Afford to Get Sick

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2005/03/progressive_prescriptions.html

America's health system is in crisis, leaving out too many and costing too much. 47 million Americans lack health insurance. Millions more are struggling to pay premiums that are growing five times faster than wages, but still seeing their benefits shrink. While some Americans have access to the most sophisticated medical care in the world, others are left to overcrowded emergency rooms, under-funded clinics, or no health care at all - all because they lack the insurance it takes to provide for the care they need. This is wrong. It violates America's deep, long-standing commitment to fairness for all of our citizens - old and young, weak and strong. Unlocking our health care system's potential for everyone in America is the great moral challenge of our time. Center for American Progress Health Policy Director Karen Davenport explains what's at stake as President Bush prepares to deliver his final State of the Union address in ASK THE EXPERT, CAP's new video feature.

www.AMERICANPROGRESS.org

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• medical
• health
• doctor
• insurance
• progressive
• sicko
• medicine
• medicaid
• sick
• ill
• disease
• cap
• commentary
• analysis

[angnmini]

No lets just bury the working class in health care premiums they cant afford. The government just bailed out the most corrupt group of white collar criminals in history but left the working class to flip the bill. Light a fire under whose ass?.. maybe you need to pull your head out of yours ..

[ibenunot]

The 47 million includes 9.7 million illegal aliens. If they "can't afford to get sick" they should go home where they are covered.

[MyMerlin1]

The American Dream , ha ha ha

[stpsoadNDND]

@NolanRogers2 Actually, it's one of the reasons I'm NOT proud to be an American. If I could afford it, I'd move to Europe and renounce my citizenship here. Unfortunately, I'm one of the millions of Americans without healthcare and it angers me so to see others suffer like I have to.

[raventakayama]

@NolanRogers2 lol Its not all of us.... mostly just conservatives and the wealthy.

[NolanRogers2]

As a British man I want to say how PATHETIC and Evil you Americans are to do this to your own people.

I read that there are 5 MILLION American children without ANY health care or even access to a bloody doctor.

Does that make you Americans Proud? Does that want to make you get out your ratty ass American Flag and wave is back and forth and sing "God Bless America"? Disgusting!

Yeah....You Yanks are SO PROUD to say how GREAT you are - yeah GREAT at DENYING health care to your own people...

[healthmusic]

@alienzettaexcell I may have questioned language; but I agree with you, and gave the thumbs up.

A-For-Da-Ble Health' will save our economy,

it is in the best interest of everybody,

if every job moves out of the country

than (tell me) whose gonna pay the medical fee?

[weasyeasel]

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are things the gov can't take away from you, not meant to be forced on you.

[pokeyugi13]

@mollkatles it says life liberty and the pursuit of happiness

and last i checked u need healthcare to stay alive if u get sick

[jay123jd]

yada yada yada old grand dragoon.

[jay123jd]

Is not that what your hero Bush was doing by letting in half of Central and South America across the border for your chance of ruling with a republicon hand.

[jay123jd]

Josey is scared of government the big bad boogie man. Insurance companies have been gaming the system since they got antitrust acts passed in the 30's. WTF. Major league baseball and insurance companies the only players that can not have competition. Insurance companies have no place in our healthcare system. They only bring overhead to policies and use the money they make off of the public to lobby our politicians in Washington. Look how all the republicons were bought off. lol