According to the Census Bureau, in 2003 more than 43 million Americans lacked
health insurance. Being uninsured is associated with a range of adverse health,
social, and economic consequences for individuals and their families, for the health
care systems in their communities, and for the nation as a whole. This report is
the sixth and final report in a series by the Committee on the Consequences of
Uninsurance, intended to synthesize what is known about these consequences and
communicate the extent and urgency of the issue to the public. Insuring America's
Health recommends principles related to universality, continuity of coverage, affordability
to individuals and society, and quality of care to guide health insurance
reform. These principles are based on the evidence reviewed in the committee's previous
five reports and on new analyses of past and present federal, state, and local
efforts to reduce uninsurance. The report also demonstrates how those principles
can be used to assess policy options. The committee does not recommend a specific
coverage strategy. Rather, it shows how various approaches could extend coverage
and achieve certain of the committee's principles.


Table of Contents


Front Matter
Executive Summary
1 Introduction
2 Lessons from Previous Reports
3 Eliminating Uninsurance: Lessons from the Past and Present
4 Principles to Guide the Extension of Coverage
5 Prototypes to Extend Coverage: Descriptions and Assessments
BOX 6.1 Vision, Principles, and Recommendations
6 Conclusions and Recommendations
A Data Tables
B Glossary and Acronyms
C Biographical Sketches
References