American children left uninsured

The number of children without health insurance in the US rose between 2005 and 2006.

New statistics from the US Census Bureau released on Tuesday (August 28th) show that the number of uninsured children stood at 8.7 million last year (11.7 per cent of the population), a rise from eight million (10.9 per cent) the previous year.

Across the board, the number of uninsured Americans hit a new high from 15.3 per cent in 2005 to 15.8 per cent in 2006, an increase from 44.8 million to 47 million.

Commenting on the findings, American Medical Association board member Joseph Heyman, said: "Today's announcement on the increase in the number of uninsured Americans is a forceful reminder that action is desperately needed.

"It is unconscionable that the number of uninsured children has substantially increased over the past year. Children are our future, and for kids to get a good start in life, they need access to regular visits to the doctor."