California and a few other states may be onto something with their push for universal health care coverage. Frankly, in a country as wealthy as our own, it's almost embarrassing that some citizens must sometimes forgo medical procedures and routine physical exams solely because they cannot afford to pay for it. I'm not just venting here, either.

Research into this very topic has revealed an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. In the April issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine, researchers from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center published information related to the "insurance deterrent" (as I like to call it), a pervasive problem facing the U.S. The fear of mounting medical bills oftentimes causes some uninsured people to opt against going in for something as standard as a routine physical. T

he result: Blood pressure could be high, diabetes could be an issue, cholesterol levels may also be through the roof -- but, that person doesn't have a clue that these risk factors are in play. The study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine highlights the statistically significant relationship between a lack of health insurance and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. You can read it, and get even more stressed about it, here: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0884-8734