California's Healthcare Crisis

According to a recent article in the L.A. Times, 8.4 million Californians lack health coverage.  That amounts to about a quarter of the state's population.  The article goes on to note that "Areas with high rates and numbers of uninsured tended to be those that experienced sharp increases in local unemployment and corresponding drops in both household income and job-based coverage."


This is a clear example of how the economy and the health insurance market go hand in hand. When the economy is strong, and the job market is healthy, people get the coverage they need - either through their job or through private policies they can actually afford because they're employed. When the economy tanks, however, and unemployment nationwide hovers around 10 percent, the number of uninsured families and individuals will climb.