When people receive medical care for heart disease, diabetes, or asthma, they become productive and self-sustaining members of the community.
Suffering from chronic diseases leaves many underserved and uninsured people in a vicious cycle of dependency and debt. According to a national study, 44% of uninsured reported a serious problem in paying medical bills. As a result of financial concerns 40% of the uninsured postpone seeking medical care, and 37% did not fill a needed prescription. As a result they were far more likely to be hospitalized for preventable complications of illness. Because of untreated health problems, many of the uninsured with chronic health problems also have difficulties keeping a job. One study found that women with health problems were 57% more likely to lose their job.
