Not having adequate health insurance, or in a lot of cases, no health insurance, those living in poverty aren’t privy to their own personal doctor that they see on a regular basis. Some impoverished Americans have Medicaid, however the excessive treatment cost related to the illness or depression are often time far too expensive.
According to Brown from Gallup, smoking is the most significant issue for Americans living in poverty, which may lead to several chronic diseases. Not only are impoverished Americans susceptible to diseases related to smoking, they are more likely to report asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart attacks (Brown 2012). Brown also found that Americans living in poverty, don’t have affordable safe places to exercise, or to purchase fresh fruits and …show more content…
156). Although Medicaid is a great help for some families and individuals, there are some that are left in the cold and that would include Americans living in poverty. One may ask, if Medicaid is for low income families and individuals, why aren’t those in poverty automatically covered? According to Barusch, the bulk of the expenditures go to the elderly and those with disabilities. The families and individuals that are privy to Medicaid, may still be in an unfortunate situation if they suffer from chronic diseases and illnesses. Typically, individuals with chronic illnesses need to visit their doctor quite frequently. Frequent visits mean that there is a possibility of out of pocket cost once the amount Medicaid pays is exceeded the managed care cost, which can lead to chronic diseases and illnesses left untreated. As Brown stated in the Gallup article, smoking has a significantly negative impact on impoverished American’s health. Smoking may lead to chronic diseases such as Chronic Heart Failure (CHF), or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which typically requires ongoing doctor’s appointments, and expensive treatments and prescriptions to control and or treat the condition. An individual living in poverty may not have the means to pay the difference of what Medicaid doesn’t