Kerry's Health Plan: Coverage For (Almost) All

By Laura D'Andrea Tyson

According to a recent survey, more Americans worry about being able to afford health care than about losing a job or suffering from a terrorist attack. Their anxiety is justified. In the last three years, the cost of family health insurance has skyrocketed by over 40%, and 4 million Americans have joined the ranks of the uninsured. Eight out of 10 of the uninsured are members of working families. And having insurance does matter to one's health. The uninsured receive less preventive care, are diagnosed at more advanced stages of disease, and once diagnosed, receive less care and suffer higher mortality rates than the insured.