The high costs of uninsured workers

About four years ago I took a position with a small company. It was a great place to work and I was so excited to get the position. The only problem was that the employer didn't offer medical insurance. He couldn't. It was a small company, and it just wasn't cost effective. So I've footed my own insurance bills for years and it's a bit of a wrench, frankly. But I guess I should consider myself blessed that I'm able to afford insurance at all.

The rates of uninsured workers are growing. In fact, one-third of low-paid workers don't have any insurance (up nine percent from 1996). Uninsured workers often have to turn to government programs for help. After all, that's what the programs are there for. But these programs don't come cheap; Medicaid, the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and uncompensated care expenses add up to a 45 billion dollars per year.

While it's mostly small companies that can't afford insurance for employees, an ever-growing number of mid- to large-sized companies don't cover insurance costs either. From 1999 to 2004 there was a 33 percent increase in uninsured workers in companies with 100 or more employees.