Howard Forman, MD

A problem of enormous proportions in the U.S. has grown even larger during the past two years. The ranks of the uninsured have increased every year, recently passing the 20% threshold, representing 45 million nonelderly persons. Even though no dramatic annual changes have occurred, the trend is not favorable (Figure 1). The problem has persisted and steadily worsened despite expansions of Medicaid and the introduction of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in the late 1990s and early 2000s.