A Giant Step Toward a Culture of Health

More than 48 million Americans live without health insurance coverage. They are people we all know. They are our neighbors, friends, and family members. Some of them have been my patients. For years, they’ve been forced to make tough choices between getting the medical care they need and paying the rent. They’ve gone without preventive care, missed annual check ups, and skipped medications.

For more than 40 years, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has been working to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable, stable health insurance coverage. Now, thanks to the work of so many committed organizations and individuals, we have an opportunity to come closer than ever to achieving this goal.

This moment has been decades in the making, and October 1 is just the beginning. In the months ahead, tens of millions of Americans will discover new and affordable options for obtaining health insurance, many of them for the first time.Under the Affordable Care Act, millions of people will access coverage through expanded Medicaid programs and new health insurance marketplaces...

...After more than a generation of effort, we stand on the verge of a substantial reduction in our nation’s uninsured population. Today marks an historic opportunity to take a giant step towards achieving a culture of health in America.