Myth: Most Individuals Without Health Insurance Don't Have It Because They Don't Want It

Floor Speech

MYTH: MOST INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE DON'T HAVE IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT IT -- (House of Representatives - April 01, 2009)

(Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut. Another health care myth--and we've heard it all before: opponents of health care reform claim that, of the 45 million uninsured, many don't have health care insurance because they just don't want it. So no need to reform the health insurance system--everybody who wants it already has it.

So who are these people who just don't want health care insurance? Well, according to a 2008 Kaiser study, 68 percent of the Nation's uninsured were under 200 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines--or making under $44,000 a year for a family of four. Of those, 37 percent were actually living in poverty--making under $22,000 a year.

These are families that cannot afford health insurance. For a family living at the poverty line, health insurance could cost them up to half of their income.

Sure, there are some amongst the uninsured who simply choose to pay their own way. But there are many more who are employed, who are playing by the rules, who want health care insurance but just can't cut out those frivolous things like food and clothes to pay the premium.

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