This is the Cato Daily Podcast for Tuesday, September 4th, 2007.

I'm Caleb Brown.

New data pegged the number of uninsured in America at 47 million,

but does that number truly represent only those who can't get insurance,

either through government programs or private insurers?

Michael Cannon, the Cato Institute's Director of Health Policy Studies, suggests that millions of the uninsured can afford

coverage, millions more would qualify for government programs.

He says the problems of the uninsured are ones that cost conscious consumers must be empowered to help solve.

Who are the uninsured?

Well, the Census Bureau released its most commonly cited estimate of the

uninsured this past week and this year the number is up from 44.8 million to about 46.9 million or 47 million. The problem

is that there are about four different government surveys that measure the number of

uninsured in America and this one which is called the current population

survey is widely recognized to overstate the number

of uninsured. In fact, the other three surveys put the number of Americans who are uninsured

for the entire year at somewhere between 19 million and 36 million, whereas this current population

survey figure is somewhat of an outlier out at 47 million.

Now there is a distinction that you draw over and above that

smaller number which is between the uninsured and people who cannot afford health

insurance. What are those numbers? Right, so when you say there are 47 million

uninsured people in the United States that gives the impression that there are 47

million people out there who don't have health insurance and can't get it.

...