• Health insurance helps cover the cost of medical bills for Americans who require medical care. Most health insurance plans cover a percentage of medical costs and require the user to pay the remaining percentage, although certain people qualify for government health insurance such as Medicare or Medicaid.

  An increasing number of people are being forced to buy their own health insurance due to job losses and the cost of individual coverage in increasing rapidly. Sales of individual policies have increased 24 percent in just the last two months, but the 17 million Americans who are paying for their own health care don't have the leverage to negotiate like large companies do and are having to pay more money.USA Today: Costs for individual health plans soar (February 19, 2009)

• 1. Some employers offer subsidized group health insurance plans
  2. Indemnity coverage allows users to pick which hospital, doctor or clinic they receive care from, but usually require payment of a deductibleCNNMoney: Money101 Lesson 16: Health Insurance
  3. Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) insurance costs are usually lower, but offer a limited network of care providersCNNMoney: Money101 Lesson 16: Health Insurance
  4. In 2006, over 16% of Americans under the age of 65 were uninsuredNational Center for Health Statistics: Health Insurance Coverage
  5. 9.3% of U.S. children were uninsured in 2006National Center for Health Statistics: Health Insurance Coverage
  6. Over 47 million Americans do not have health insuranceABC News: Democrats Short on Detail for Healthcare Overhaul (March 27, 2007)
  7. Medical expenses may be tax deductible if they exceed 7.5% of one's incomeCNNMoney: Money101 Lesson 16: Health Insurance

• Universal Health Care

  The policy of universal health care would allow all Americans to have access to quality healthcare regardless of their income or background. Several members of the Democratic Party, including presidential hopeful Barack Obama have proposed plans for universal health careBarackObama.com: Health Care and polls show that it is a major concern among U.S. citizens.Reuters: Health care top domestic concern: poll (March 2, 2007)

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