A new study has come out in the American Journal of Public Health, and health records and data suggest some every year nearly 45,000 uninsured Americans between the ages of 19 and 64 die early due to complications with their health, which would likely have been prevented had they had private insurance. This group of people do not have private insurance, and even when public health clinic are available, this does not contribute as much to sustained health as seeing one's own doctor. In general, there is a 40% higher risk of death for uninsured compared to insured Americans.
There is a summary article of how the study was done in Scientific American. If this is not motivation for our political leaders to get something done this year to reform how we run our health care system, I don't know what will.
