Cover the Uninsured Week 2009 (March 22-28)
As a part of Metro United Way’s focus on health, we are proud to join United Way of America in this week’s ‘Cover the Uninsured Week’, an annual effort to highlight the need to cover America’s uninsured.
During these tough economic times, more and more people are losing their jobs – and as a result, their health insurance. Today, 46 million Americans, including 9 million children, are living without health insurance. You can help raise awareness about this important issue by getting involved locally and nationally.
Living without health insurance is a risk no one should have to take.
There are many different ways you can get involved in our Metro Louisville region as well as nationally:
· Get informed and involved with the Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Plan (KCHIP) advocacy efforts by clicking on Governor Steve Beshear’s website: http://kidshealth.ky.gov/en/
· Get informed about the Indiana Children’s Health Insurance Plan called Hoosier Healthwise by clicking on this link: http://www.in.gov/fssa/ompp/2544.htm
· Learn the most up-to-date news about the issue by signing up to receive the Cover the Uninsured Weekly News Digest at www.covertheunisured.org
- Hear everyday stories of the uninsured in the U.S. at http://covertheuninsured.org/stories
- Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper and tell them why you believe our nation’s leaders should make health care coverage a top priority.
- For more information about Metro United Way’s work around health contact Kelly Thompson at kelly.thompson@metrounitedway.org.
Myths and Facts about the Uninsured:
(Source: www.coveredtheuninsured.org)
MYTH: People without health coverage don’t work.
FACT: More than eight in 10 of the non-elderly uninsured (82.8 percent) live in families where the head of the family works.
MYTH: Most people without health insurance are very poor.
FACT: In 2006, more than 33 million of the uninsured had household incomes of $25,000 or more, compared with nearly 14 million in households earning less. (The federal poverty level for a family of four in 2006 was $20,000.)
MYTH: It doesn’t really matter whether a person has health insurance.
FACT: An estimated 18,000 – 22,000 Americans die each year because they don’t have health coverage.
MYTH: Virtually everyone who works for a large employer has health coverage.
FACT: One in five uninsured workers (22.4 percent) are employed in firms with 500 or more employees.
FACT: Since 1997, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) has provided health coverage to children whose parents work but cannot afford or are not offered health insurance. Because of SCHIP, more than 7 million children can now see a doctor when they are sick and get the health care they need to stay healthy.
