Yet most overlook the reasons why people do not have health insurance. If income were the only determinant, a simple income-based subsidy might alleviate the problem. Further, if all people valued health insurance equally, those families who qualify for public programs like Medicaid would enroll if they could not afford insurance. However, the matter is far more complex, as can be seen by examining five myths about health insurance in the United States.
Preferences vary from person to person.
Some may say they want health insurance, but choose to purchase other goods instead because they value them more highly. People who are young, healthy and at the beginning of their working lives often choose to go without insurance. Men are uninsured at higher rates than are women. Some people refuse to enroll in publicly funded programs because they perceive a stigma associated with enrollment. Many enroll only when they need care.