The Financial Times is reporting that more Americans than ever are without some form of healthcare coverage. They are citing the actual numbers of Americans, as opposed to the overall percentage. Based on population data from the US Census Bureau, the percentage of Americans without coverage is actually less than it was in 1998.

I've said before on this blog that the number of Americans without healthcare coverage is meaningless, unless these Americans were denied healthcare itself. As it stands now, no American is denied healthcare service. Anyone who cannot afford healthcare is offered coverage through a State's Medicaid program, and every state has one.

Moreover, every hospital emergency room is required by law to treat people, without discrimination due to their ability or inability to pay. And, each physician in the USA has taken an oath to treat anyone who has a need for healthcare, despite their financial circumstances.

The issue of children without healthcare coverage is often played up by media because it sells copies, and is played up by the liberals, because plays into their hands of "big-brother government". But any physician faced with a child in imminent threat of danger, will glady drop what they're doing to help that child. I know of no physicians who will send a child away.

The state of healthcare we're in today is thanks to our federal government for having screwed up the marketplace for healthcare. Medicare and Medicaid has made it so affordable for Americans to seek treatment, that they abuse it. They seek healthcare for things that don't require immediate attention. This causes the demand to go up. And anytime demand goes up, costs go up.

Hence, the solution is to reduce demand, by taking away "free healthcare". This will cause the cost of healthcare to drop, making it more affordable for people to see a doctor, and even afford their own healthcare insurance.