Lisa Climan and Adria Scharf

In the following viewpoint, Lisa Climan and Adria Scharf tell the stories of some of the individuals who make up America’s 42.5 million uninsured. The people they profile are real—they are the names behind the numbers, according to the authors. Climan and Scharf maintain that because these families can not afford coverage, they do not get the health care they need. Lack of insurance means they live with pain and worry, and assume huge debts when they do seek medical care, according to the authors. Adria Scharf is coeditor of and Lisa Climan is a contributing writer to Dollars & Sense.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Climan and Scharf, which country is the only industrialized nation without a sound insurance...