Nurses Can Make A Difference on the Impact the Uninsured/Underinsured by Robert Burke

The uninsured rate has increased from 2016 to 2019 and due to the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020 and unemployment, that number has likely jumped. Health care has proven to be costly, and the uninsured/underinsured population is viewed as a vulnerable population in the community due to a financial barrier or unemployed status that hinders their ability to receive the health care they need. It is proven that the uninsured/underinsured are more likely to forgo preventative care due to financial reasons. In addition, because the uninsured/underinsured are more likely to forgo preventative care they are more likely to be hospitalized with avoidable conditions and also do not receive the services or care for major health conditions and chronic diseases. Prevention is cheaper than maintenance of chronic conditions. Maintenance of chronic conditions may require additional resources that prove to be costly for the individual and the health care systems. Therefore the uninsured/underinsured impact the health care system by being more likely to be admitted for an avoidable condition and proving to be costly to the health care system. Nurses can help the uninsured/underinsured to improve their health and receive the care they need by being the patient’s greatest advocate and referring them to appropriate resources. Nurses can refer patients to free clinics. Being the patients’ greatest advocate and referring them to appropriate resources can help improve the uninsured/underinsured patients’ health status, which would ultimately reduce costs and improve the patients’ quality of life.