Tom Miller

In the following viewpoint, originally presented as part of a Cato Institute Policy Forum, Tom Miller argues that providing uninsured Americans health insurance won’t necessarily improve their access to health care or their health.
Poor health among the uninsured, he contends, is due to factors other than lack of insurance, such as illiteracy and unhealthy lifestyle practices. Moreover, Miller maintains, lack of insurance does not keep uninsured Americans from getting the health care they need nor does it cause them undue financial hardship. Tom Miller is director of Health Policy Studies at the Cato Institute.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Miller, health insurance is only of value when it does what three things?
2. In the author’s opinion, what determines disparities...