Access

There are a great deal of barriers that stand between patients and access to needed healthcare. The fact that nearly, if not more than, 43 million Americans do not have health insurance, solidifies this point. These existing barriers include, but are not limited to, financial resources, education level, geographic location, ethnic and social background, race, etc. The main focus of this project is infringement of access to care due to monetary reasons. Although many factors relate to minimal financial resources, the consequences for these resources alone are analyzed.
When patients lack health care coverage, it is most often because they cannot afford it. Health insurance plans, like Medicaid, are offered by the government to low income families; however, this does not ensure that all low income citizens will apply for and receive these benefits. There are certain standards involving household incomes, that restrict who has access to Medicaid and other governmental programs. The gap that falls between Medicaid cuts and those able to afford private medical insurance contribute to the high percentage of Americans that are uninsured.