Many Alaskans are Either Uninsured or Under-insured

No one wants to live with uncertainty. Without the safety net of health insurance, too many Alaskans face uncertainty every day. Meanwhile, our nation’s health care system costs too much, wastes too much, makes too many mistakes and gives us back too little value for our money.  That’s why AARP is calling on Congress to work on providing quality, affordable health care.

Health care reform is critical not only in Alaska but throughout the country. More than 20,000 Alaskans age 50 to 64 are uninsured and many more and under-insured. Too young for Medicare, but old enough to face higher insurance premiums, many of Alaska’s Baby Boomers have difficulty accessing affordable health care coverage. In 2007, there were 22,723 50 to 64 year olds who were uninsured and many with insurance were under-insured due to the high cost of coverage for this age group. Additionally, nearly one in four Alaskans age 19-64 are without any health care coverage.

As these Baby Boomers age, the number of people without health insurance age 50 to 64 will grow. The AARP Public Policy Institute estimates that 13 percent of 7.1 million adults age 50 to 64 were insured in 2007. That’s 1.9 million more than in 2000, a 36 percent increase. As people age, they generally develop more health problems and this age group is at greater risk of illness if they are without coverage or have inadequate coverage.

AARP is calling on Congress to ensure that all Americans—all Alaskans—have access to adequate health coverage by ensuring that all people, including those age 50-64, have access to affordable coverage regardless of any preexisting health conditions.

If you want to share your health care story and help support our call for better health care, visit Health Action Now.