"Our voluntary and predominantly employment-based approach to coverage for the nonelderly population contributes to the persistence of this large pool of uninsured people," the authors write. They add later that the "increased mortality and worse health of the uninsured" are perhaps the greatest costs to society of the uninsured.

"If you go to an emergency room and have to wait, you may have to wait because someone else is there who may have been better treated in a primary-care setting .*.*. Most of us probably know someone who is uninsured. There are a growing number in white-collar jobs. With changes in health-insurance premiums, all of us are at risk for being uninsured."

"I go to Irvin Gammon [Craig Health Center] for my sugar and sicknesses," [Sheryl Johnson] said. "I go to a place downtown called Richmond Area High Blood Pressure [Center] for my blood pressure. I am going to try to see if I can get everything taken care of at Irvin Gammon."