Health concerns like diabetes and heart disease are serious issues, but for people without insurance or the financial ability to get medical care, these conditions become even harder to deal with. According to a survey by the Long Island Health Collaborative, many Long Islanders are avoiding important medical treatment because of their inability to pay for it.
Every year we gather data about residents’ opinions of health on Long Island, and compile it into our Population Health Dashboard. According to this data, in 2014, over 15% of adults surveyed were uninsured. 14.3% of people surveyed said that having “No insurance” was one of the biggest barrier to medical care in their community.
What prevents people on Long Island from getting medical treatment?
In our Long Island and Eastern Queens Community Health Assessment survey, which you can take today, we asked individuals what prevented people in the community from getting medical treatment. In both Nassau and Suffolk County, respondents said lack of insurance, followed by inability to pay deductibles and co-pays, kept people from seeking medical care.
To learn more about how you can receive medical care on Long Island, visit our online resources.