• Myth 1: The uninsured go without coverage because they believe they do not need it or don't want it.
• Myth 2: Most of the uninsured do not have health insurance because they are not working and so don't have access to health benefits through an employer.
• Myth 3: Most of the growth in the uninsured has been among those with higher incomes.

Lack of health insurance coverage among millions of Americans remains one of this nation's most pressing social challenges, but one that is often not well understood. Common knowledge
about who the uninsured are, why they are uninsured, the difference health coverage makes, as well as the impact on all of our lives of having a large uninsured population - is riddled with misconceptions and myths. Basic facts about the uninsured, outlined here under the most common myths, are essential to understanding how we might address the growing numbers of Americans without health insurance.

Myth 1:
The uninsured go without coverage because they believe they do not need it or don't want it.

FACT:
The majority of uninsured, regardless of how young they are, say they forgo coverage because they cannot afford it, not because they don't need it.

Only 7% of the uninsured report the main reason they lack insurance is because they don't think they need it. The majority of the uninsured (52%) say the main reason they don't have health insurance is because it is too expensive and the next most common reason they give is not being eligible for their job's health benefits (11%).

Myth 2:
Most of the uninsured do not have health insurance because they are not working and so don't have access to health benefits through an employer.

FACT:
Most of the uninsured are either working full-time or have someone in their immediate family who does--the problem is that the majority of the uninsured are not offered benefits through their employers.

Eight in ten uninsured Americans come from working families; even at lower income levels, the majority of the uninsured have workers in their families. However, 81% of uninsured workers are employed by firms who do not sponsor health benefits, or are not eligible for their employer's plan. Few workers, even low-wage workers, turn down health benefits when available.

Myth 3:
Most of the growth in the uninsured has been among those with higher incomes.

FACT:
The majority of the growth in the uninsured since 2000 has been among people earning less than $38,000 a year for a family of four (commonly considered low-income). Since 2000, the number of uninsured adults has grown by over 5 million and nearly 75% of these adults were from low-income families. Overall, two-thirds of the uninsured are low-income with one-third living in poverty (earning less than $19,000 a year for a family of four).