Health is a major aspect of our daily lives and even if it isn’t always something on your mind, just think about how much harder a day can be when you are sick or injured. For many individuals, especially young people, health is taken for granted; however, for others getting sick can be more than just an inconvenience. Healthcare can be really expensive, especially for those who do not have health insurance. Getting sick or injured unexpectedly can cause major financial burdens for anyone without insurance. In this lesson, we will discuss what health insurance is and how it helps so many people get access to healthcare, a right guaranteed by the Declaration of Human Rights. 

Over the last 15 years, the Affordable Care Act has helped decrease the number of people without health insurance significantly from 43.8 million to about 26 million Americans. While this is great, a larger percentage of Hispanic and Native American individuals remain uninsured compared to other groups. The lesson will dive deeper into why this is and how people in these groups are more heavily impacted. Additionally, we will discover some of the key differences in the health insurance systems in the US and the UK. By becoming educated, students can help advocate for changes that will continue to help more people gain access to health insurance and quality health care.