Lack of Insurance Hits Us All

It may be easy to dismiss the uninsured, especially minority families, as a group of people who just want a handout or who should strive to get better-paying jobs. But these people are the workers and caregivers who provide needed services.

"Me and my husband both work, but we don't have insurance," said 29-year-old Dina Aju, who is nine months pregnant and was getting a prenatal checkup at Mary's Center.

The people without health insurance ring up your purchases at retail stores. They mow your lawns or fix the roofs on your homes. They cook the meals and clear away your dishes in restaurants. They watch your children so you can work at a job that provides you with health benefits. They care for your elderly parents or grandparents.

"This is a problem for all of us. Eighty percent of people who are uninsured are working and some at more than one job. They deserve to have health-care coverage," said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, president and chief executive of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The foundation sponsors "Cover the Uninsured Week" ( http://www.covertheuninsured.org), a national campaign that runs this year from April 27 to May 3. The campaign is intended to highlight the plight of the uninsured.

Lavizzo-Mourey said minorities, who disproportionately suffer from chronic illnesses, often avoid getting critical screening or skip treatment because they lack health insurance. She shared the story of Ruth, a diabetic African American in her 50s who came into a clinic with an ulcer on her foot. By the time she sought help, she needed more care than the clinic could offer.

"When we told her she needed to get to a hospital, she burst into tears," said Lavizzo-Mourey, who was working at the clinic at the time. Ruth was reluctant to seek medical attention because she was already trying to pay off other staggering medical bills.

In a sad irony, Ruth is a home health-care aide who couldn't afford medical care herself.

At least one good thing may emerge from the current economic crisis: As more people lose their jobs and join the ranks of the uninsured, it will be harder for our political leaders to avoid a long-term solution.

Research and reporting assistant Charity Brown contributed to this column.

¿ On the air: Michelle Singletary discusses personal finance Tuesdays on NPR's "Day to Day" program and online athttp://www.npr.org.

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