People with health care coverage have better health and better medical outcomes than those who do not have insurance. When people have health insurance, they are more likely to use health care services and have better overall health. People with coverage are more likely to use preventive services (like getting an annual checkup or having a mammogram or prostate exam). They are more likely to have better quality health care, get the right diagnosis for health conditions, and use medications to help improve their health. This leads to fewer emergency visits and hospitalizations. When people have coverage, they are also less likely to have depression and are more likely to say they are in “good” health.
On the other side, people without insurance have worse health outcomes than those who are insured. When people don’t have insurance, they often aren’t able to access health care due to the high costs. People without insurance have limited access to resources, which increases the risk of bad health outcomes. People without insurance are more likely to wait to see the doctor when they need to, which means they are more likely to be hospitalized. In addition, they may wait longer to go to the hospital, are sicker when they get there, and this can result in poorer outcomes. They are also less likely to have regular checkups, cancer screenings, and diabetes care. This means their overall health is more likely to suffer.
People without insurance often have lower incomes, are minorities, and/or live in rural areas. Health insurance reform has had the biggest impact on improving the health of people who are low income, minorities, elderly adults, and women. Many states have not expanded Medicaid, which means many people with lower incomes do not have a way to pay for their health care. This can make it harder to manage chronic diseases. People from rural areas have been affected the most because rural areas have difficulty keeping health care professionals in the area and keeping health care services. Access to health care can often depend on where people live, how much they earn, and whether they have health insurance.
