The reason that 15.3% of the US population remains uninsured (with estimates of an additional 25% underinsured) is primarily due to the fact that our political leaders fail at fulfilling the needs of the population that it represents. Rates of uninsured individuals have been increasing steadily for years due to growing health expenditures and the growing dissatisfaction for HMOs. The big push for universal health care in the early 1990's was geared to provide equitable access to health care for all citizens. This policy was meant to serve the needs of the people. Unfortunately, intense campaigning by special interest groups convinced Congress not to enact this new legislation, thus leaving us in our current dilemma, with more health care costs and a staggering gap in health status between rich and poor.
Policymakers in the local, state and national levels of government are in their positions to represent us, to represent our needs. 15.3% of the population is uninsured with another 25% that are underinsured. Those figures add up to an underperforming government in my opinion. The political will and commitment to serve the people, in a bipartisan fashion, and fulfill their long-term needs is absolutely necessary. As citizens, we need to demand what we want. With so much focus on the need to protect the freedoms that our country was founded on, I think we take for granted that we need our health to enjoy any of those freedoms...
In addition, our society has progressed into a passive state with regards to health.
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