VHN's Unisured FAQ & You

Uninsured? Many people are...

It's a fact. Access to health care has eroded over the last decade for many of us. The costs are just too high making health care out of reach. The differences in access to care between the uninsured and insured has widened, as have disparities in access to even the most basic of medical services, like annual check-ups and preventive health care. Alternatives are needed that fit into your budget and changing lifestyle. VHN is that alternative: Get the care you need at the price you deserve — and avoid compounded health problems that can be caused by delaying care.

Know the facts! CLICK ON the statements true to you...

I delay, or have given up on, getting the care I need—because of cost.
When sick, I feel there is no where to go for healthcare, there are no affordable alternatives.
I avoid annual wellness visits and preventative care.
I don't know how "access to affordable care" affects my general state of health.
I can't afford to worry about "silent health care" problems.
I'm not sure how lack of health care coverage affects my overall financial security.

I delay, or have you given up on, getting the care I need — because of cost.

Anticipating high medical bills, many of the uninsured are not able to follow recommended treatments. More than a quarter of uninsured adults say they did not fill a drug prescription in the past year because they could not afford it. Regardless of a person‘s insurance coverage, those injured or newly diagnosed with a chronic condition receive similar follow-up care plans; however, the uninsured are less likely than the insured to actually obtain all the services that are recommended.

When sick, I feel there is no where to go for health care, that there are no affordable alternatives.

The uninsured are far more likely than those with insurance to report problems getting needed medical care. About one-quarter of uninsured adults say that they have forgone care in the past year because of its cost—compared to 4% of adults with private coverage. Part of the reason for this is that more than half of uninsured adults do not have a regular place to go when they are sick or need medical advice.

I avoid annual wellness visits and preventative care.

I don't know what "access to affordable care" means to my general state of health.

The fact is, the uninsured tend to be in worse health than the privately insured. Uninsured adults are more than twice as likely to report being in fair or poor health as those with private insurance. Almost half of all uninsured nonelderly adults have a chronic condition. Those with such conditions and others who are not in good health and who do not have access to employer-sponsored coverage may find non-group coverage to be unavailable or unaffordable.

I can't afford to worry about "silent health care" problems.

Silent health problems, such as hypertension and diabetes, often go undetected without routine check-ups. Uninsured nonelderly adults, compared to those with coverage, are far less likely to have had regular preventive care, including cancer screenings. Consequently, uninsured patients are diagnosed in later stages of diseases, including cancer, and die earlier than those with insurance.

I'm not sure how a lack of health care coverage affects my overall financial security.

Being uninsured, and having no alternative health care option, leaves individuals at an increased risk of amassing unaffordable medical bills.
Uninsured adults are three times as likely as the insured to have been unable to pay for basic necessities such as housing or food due to medical bills. Medical bills may also force uninsured adults to exhaust their savings. In 2010, 27% of uninsured adults used up all or most of their savings paying medical bills.

Information on this page sourced from: "The Uninsured, A Primer. Key Facts About Americans Without Health Insurance." The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, December 2010.