Vulnerable Population – Part II Uninsured and Underinsured children in America are one many vulnerable groups that impact the financial aspect of health care. This paper will discuss the financial impact and delivery of the United States health care system. It will also discuss the different types of funding that are available to uninsured and underinsured children. Last, the paper will discuss issues and challenges of this vulnerable group along with some solutions that government has come up with.
Uninsured/Underinsured Children in the United States Health care is financed by different means. There are public and private financing. Public financing options are through the government and states and consist of Medicare, Medicaid, and Children Health Insurance program. Private financing options consist of group insurance, self-insurance, and Managed Care Plans. Uninsured and underinsured children can get the help they need from many public financing groups whereas the private options tend to turn them down.
Financial Impact Uninsured and underinsured children have a major financial impact on the economy. “The health costs of the uninsured have become an economic burden of the business community through property taxes, higher health insurance premiums, and lost productivity of workers with sick family members” (Edelman, 2009, para. 5). In other words someone has to pay for the health care of the uninsured and underinsured children in the United States. When parents are off work with their sick children, the company they are working for is losing productivity because they are not there to work.
Children who are uninsured and underinsured are more likely to have unmet health care needs resulting in higher morbidity and mortality rates. Part of this high morbidity and mortality rate is that children, especially the uninsured and underinsured, are