The Uninsured

In Illinois, 3,188,000 residents or 25% of the population went without health care for some part of the last 2 years. Because the cost of health care keeps rising out of control, being uninsured can happen to any of us. And when it does happen, it means our families are more likely to either forego needed medical care or experience severe financial hardship trying to afford it.

Fact:  1,767,000 Illinois residents were without health insurance for all of last year.¹

Fact:  Another 1,421,000 were without of insurance for part of the last two years.²

Fact:  22% of the uninsured Illinois residents are children 18 and under.³

Fact:  The uninsured have 25 percent higher mortality rates and are more likely to die at a younger age.⁴

Fact:  After job loss, being uninsured and getting sick is the most common reason people file bankruptcy.⁵

What can we do about it?

Develop plans that work towards universal coverage

While the federal government needs to lead on this issue, states can take actions that lead to health care for everyone. Some of these include:

1. Demand greater corporate responsibility from large employers to ensure that more provide affordable family coverage.
2. Expand eligibility guidelines to cover more people in CHIP and Medicaid.
3. Set up mechanisms that help small businesses better afford health insurance.