(U-WIRE) WASHINGTON - Medical students, faculty and administrators around the country will hold demonstrations, panels and classroom discussions in the first week of May to draw attention to a growing epidemic of Americans living without health insurance of any kind.
Initially chaired by Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, "Cover the Uninsured Week" will be the biggest nonpartisan effort in history to raise awareness about the issue.
The number of uninsured Americans grew in 2003 by 1.4 million to 45 million, about 15.2 percent of Americans, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. According to the figures, about 8 million children and a larger contingent of young adults are uninsured.
"Particularly as the future health care professionals, [students] have a vested interest in ensuring that all Americans have access to high quality health care," said Dr. Brian Palmer, president of the American Medical Student Association.
As part of a separate effort, students in Palmer's organization are lobbying legislators in Congress and 25 state capitals to address the growing number of uninsured Americans.
"We're unlikely to see an immediate federal solution in the near future, but state solutions are really starting to move around the country," Palmer said.
Palmer attributed the growing numbers of uninsured to the federal budget deficit, which he said is forcing states to slash their own budgets as they receive less aid from Washington.
"We've seen a shrinking of state support for the state-based health programs" such as Medicaid, he said. "The other major factor is that health care costs continue to rise at double-digit rates, so employers are faced with greater health care expenses that are causing them to drop employees from their health care coverage."
Palmer added that 80 percent of the 45 million uninsured are employed, and an additional 85 million Americans periodically lose health care as their employers change providers.
Initially chaired by Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, "Cover the Uninsured Week" will be the biggest nonpartisan effort in history to raise awareness about the issue.
The number of uninsured Americans grew in 2003 by 1.4 million to 45 million, about 15.2 percent of Americans, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. According to the figures, about 8 million children and a larger contingent of young adults are uninsured.
"Particularly as the future health care professionals, [students] have a vested interest in ensuring that all Americans have access to high quality health care," said Dr. Brian Palmer, president of the American Medical Student Association.
As part of a separate effort, students in Palmer's organization are lobbying legislators in Congress and 25 state capitals to address the growing number of uninsured Americans.
"We're unlikely to see an immediate federal solution in the near future, but state solutions are really starting to move around the country," Palmer said.
Palmer attributed the growing numbers of uninsured to the federal budget deficit, which he said is forcing states to slash their own budgets as they receive less aid from Washington.
"We've seen a shrinking of state support for the state-based health programs" such as Medicaid, he said. "The other major factor is that health care costs continue to rise at double-digit rates, so employers are faced with greater health care expenses that are causing them to drop employees from their health care coverage."
Palmer added that 80 percent of the 45 million uninsured are employed, and an additional 85 million Americans periodically lose health care as their employers change providers.
