Why Do 50 Million Americans Go Without Health Insurance: More than 50 million Americans are now without health insurance, according to a report from the Kaiser Foundation. Overall, nearly one in five nonelderly adults (19 percent) was uninsured in 2009.  The number of uninsured Americans rose by 4.3 million in 2009, mainly due to job losses. Most Americans receive health insurance benefits through their employer, and rising unemployment left many without coverage.

It’s no surprise that those with the lowest incomes are most likely to be uninsured. Over 75 percent of the uninsured are members of the working-class.  Contrary to popular belief, losing a job doesn’t necessarily mean losing health insurance, too. The uninsured do have alternatives. One option is COBRA. Individuals who are no longer eligible for employer-based insurance due to layoffs, reduced hours, etc. can enroll in COBRA and receive the exact same benefits as they had before. COBRA is notoriously pricey–individuals pay the full cost of care rather than sharing the cost with the employer–but it may be worth it for those who are in poor health and in desperate need of medical care.

A more affordable alternative is individual health insurance. Applicants who are relatively healthy can find quality health care coverage for a lot less than the cost of COBRA. Don’t miss out on valuable health care because of cost. Find health insurance today and keep yourself healthy.