The article in the October issue of The Nation's Health that discussed the recent report of the Census Bureau that there has been aq substantial increase in both the number and percent of the population lacking health insurance for medical care expenses merits some comments.

 

First of all, not all forms of prepayment for medical care are insurance programs. Medicaid, for example, is not an insurance scheme. It is simply a public funding of medical care for some of the population.

 

The term “health insurance” is obviously a misnomer. Health cannot be insured. What can be insured is the cost of medical care and the diagnosis and treatment of illness and injury.

While medical care is a significant factor in the health of the population, it is not as important a factor as are other determinants, such as those we consider to be part of the standard of living, socially acceptable non-hazardous employment, potable fluoridated water and practicing a healthy lifestyle.

 

Terrence E. Carroll, MA
Reston, Va.

 

Letter to the Editor published under the heading "Health ‘insurance’ term is a misnomer" in The Nation's Health, Dec.2004/Jan. 2004, p. 46.