National Health Program and professor of clinical medicine and public health at Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University in New York City, has called lack of health insurance a "major public health disaster".

By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 4 (HealthDay News) -- One out of every three working-age, uninsured Americans suffers from a chronic illness and isn't getting the medical care they need, a new report shows.

Although the study didn't specifically look at the health consequences of lack of insurance and lack of access to medical care, it's reasonable to assume that these factors would lead to various medical complications, said the authors of a study published in the Aug. 5 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

We were out with friends recently who were talking about their company's health program that tests their employees’ health and fitness levels and charges their monthly health insurance contributions accordingly. This means the fitter you are, the less you pay every month. The couple work for the same company and the husband thinks the program is great – the wife does not. Both maintain a very healthy lifestyle, exercise regularly and eat well. He thinks some people need a big push to force them into living well and this is one way to do it.

The Wall Street Journal has a great article out about how to keep your health insurance if you wind up losing your job.

Here’s what they recommend.

Your spouse’s employer. Suppose you and your spouse both have full-time jobs. You’re both covered through your employer, so your spouse waives the coverage offered through work. Then you lose your job, and the insurance that came with it.

Great article out of the Wall Street Journal today that says more Americans are delaying health care because of costs.

"About 20% of the respondents in a 2007 survey of 18,000 people said that they had put off or gone without needed medical treatment at some point in the year earlier, up from 14% in a 2003 survey."

Were you one of those people? If so, what did you delay? What are you waiting for? Better health insurance? To qualify for Medicare? Other?