Subhead for Story – there is one
As the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus spreads worldwide, millions of Americans are put out of work and left with no health care insurance leaving them more vulnerable to the Coronavirus.
Although there are various types of independent agencies and other government assistance programs that individuals can apply for, issues arise for those who were not covered before the quarantine lockdown, which state and local governments began enforcing in mid-March. Citizens who have been laid off due to the outbreak now face the struggle of being able to afford and apply for any type of assistance during the outbreak,
According to Kaiser Family Foundation reports the largest categories of uninsured workers are occupying minimum wage jobs. These jobs include drivers, cashiers, restaurant servers and cooks, hotel workers, and retail salespersons,
These types of service occupations involve regular contact with the public, making it more likely that uninsured workers will be exposed to people with COVID-19. Conversely, uninsured workers who contract COVID-19 will be more likely to expose the public to infection, CNN reports.
The result of mass unemployment rates traumatically affects the lives of those who are both unemployed and uninsured not knowing what to do moving forward to prevent getting infected with the virus.
Those who are now uninsured and unemployed might actually help them qualify for taxpayer-funded medical treatment through Medicaid.
The most devastating fear for many of the uninsured would be for them personally or a family member to be admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 and then have to suffer afterward from detrimental medical bills.