Nearly  half of the unemployed Americans surveyed in a recent New York Times/CBS News poll indicate that they do not have health insurance.

The survey, conducted in December via telephone interview, sampled 1,650 U.S. adults, 708 of whom are unemployed.  Of  those, more than half “have cut back on doctor visits or medical treatments,” 25% said they had “either lost their home or been threatened with foreclosure or eviction,” and 25% are collecting foodstamps.

These results are especially unsettling when we consider the pending health insurance legislation, which could positively impact the lives of millions of Americans. Although proposed Medicaid expansions may cover some of their needs,  the cost of additional coverage premiums will likely be too expensive for others to bear.

For more on health insurance affordability, see:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100105/ap_on_go_co/us_health_care_overhaul

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/06/us/politics/06cong.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

As well as a new study from the Urban Institute on subsidies and affordability:

http://www.urbaninstitute.org/UploadedPDF/411992_health_reform.pdf