Access to health care: differences between insured and uninsured patients in south Minneapolis

Abstract

This article reports the results of a survey of 575 patients who were seen at 2 clinics in south Minneapolis. About half had health insurance. We found a strong connection between not having insurance and going without medical care. We also found that when the uninsured do go for care, they often fail to take prescribed medications because of the cost. Our findings also contradicted some prevalent thinking about the uninsured: that they are unemployed, that they refuse employer-sponsored insurance, and that they can easily get care at free clinics.