Uninsurance in Georgia

• Georgia ranks 5th-worst in percent of citizens uninsured, with 18.9% of the population without insurance¹
• Almost 70% of people without insurance live in a family headed by a full-time worker²
• 98% of businesses in Georgia are small businesses. 63% of small businesses do not offer insurance³
• 1.6 million adult Georgians have been without without insurance in the past year and 1 million have been without insurance during the past two years⁴
• Those aged 18 to 24 have the highest rate of uninsurance, with one third of them uninsured⁵

Clinics who serve the uninsured

• There are over 100 clinics in Georgia who serve the uninsured.
• Free clinics provide $200 to $400 million dollars' worth of care annually in Georgia⁶
• The State Auditor estimates that 10-20% of all uninsured care (over 90,000 Georgians) occurred within free clinics in 2000. 90,000 people equals the combined total population of 18 rural Georgia counties⁷

What is a free clinic?

A free clinic is an organization whose primary mission is to provide health care services free or with a minimal administrative fee to individuals with limited resources. Volunteer health professionals provide a significant portion of health care services.

A free clinic is committed to minimizing barriers to care and providing quality care. A Free Clinic has a varied and significant base of community financial support and a proven ability to develop financial and in-kind resources.

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• ¹United Health Foundation America's Health Rankings
• ²Georgia Pilot Planning Grant for the Uninsured
• ³Kaiser Family Foundation State Health Facts, Percent of Private Sector Establishments That Offer Health Insurance to Employees, by Firm Size, 2003
• ⁴The State of Working Georgia 2006, Georgia Budget and Policy Institute
• ⁵US Census Bureau, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2005
• ⁶Fiscal Note: HB 1272
• ⁷ibid