As Cover the Uninsured Week is launched in Arkansas, a new analysis of government data shows that millions of uninsured adults in the U.S. suffer with chronic illness and have medical needs that are unmet. Nearly half (45 percent) of non-elderly uninsured adults report having one or more chronic health problems. More than 15 million uninsured adults in the U.S. have diabetes, heart disease, asthma, or another chronic condition. The analysis documents that millions of these chronically ill adults forgo needed medical care or prescriptions drugs due to cost, leaving them at serious risk for increased health problems.

“Uninsured Americans with Chronic Health Conditions: Key Findings from the National Health Interview Survey” was released today by Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to kick off Cover the Uninsured Week , the largest nonpartisan campaign in history to focus attention on the need to secure reliable, affordable health coverage for all Americans.

“Those who have chronic conditions are often the most vulnerable in our society,” said Kevin Ryan, JD,Associate Director at the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement and Assistant Professor at the UAMS College of Public Health. “This study shows that when they are also uninsured, they are at great risk for missing out on the care they need to manage their condition. We owe it to the millions of uninsured Americans and Arkansas residents o do everything we can to see that they get the care they need. That starts with reliable and affordable health care coverage.”