| WHY JOIN ACU ?
Letter of Invitation from the
President
Why Join?
Today, there are more than 44 million people, or 15% of the entire
US population, without health insurance and an estimated 50-60 million
additional Americans with insufficient insurance coverage to support
good health. Today it is forecasted that many more Americans will
be uninsured. Due to the skyrocketing health care costs, small employers
are unable to support health benefits for their employees. In addition,
for companies, which are able to sustain a health plan, increases
in health costs will often be shifted from employers to its employees.
Today, Americans spend nearly $5,000 per person annually. This
amount far accedes the amount of any other country in the world.
In the most powerful country in the world with the most technologically
advanced medical care, it is becoming clear that the US health care
system is spotted with inefficiencies and gaps in care. As more
Americans forego medical services and drugs, visible costs as well
as hidden costs from lost health may result. In a new IOM report
“Hidden Costs: Uninsurance in America (2003)”, it is
estimated that from the population of uninsured, between $65 billion
to $130 billion is lost for each year health insurance is foregone.
This amount includes costs from diminished health, shorter life
spans, and productive days lost from poor health. The report has
also indicated that an estimated 18,000 Americans will die prematurely
from lack of health care access every year. Other reports point
out other losses such as the social costs to developmental problems
in children from lack of health care access, an increase in criminal
behavior from a lack of mental health service access, and productivity
lost in the workplace from illness or poor health.
Unfortunately, health care coverage does not equate to health care
access. In rural areas, tens of millions of Americans do not have
comprehensive and consistent access to health services. Individuals
often have to commute long distances to seek medical services. In
poor urban areas, health centers are often overcrowded and low on
funds. Clinicians working in these settings are often overworked
and underpaid. Today, these clinicians working with the underserved
face a growing population of medically underserved Americans equipped
with limited and diminishing medical resources.
ACU’s mission is to improve the health of underserved populations
by enhancing the development and support of the health care clinicians
serving these populations.
JOIN US
What ACU offers:
Information, education and tools to support your daily practice:
| - Best practice models utilizing shared knowledge
and expertise across multiple healthcare disciplines including
behavioral, dental, medical, pharmaceutical and
allied health professionals |
| - NEW Continuing education
on Pediatric Oral Health & Early Childhood Caries Prevention
|
Quick reference on:
| - Cultural Competence |
| - Mental Health |
| - Family Health |
| - Domestic Violence |
| - Early Childhood Caries Prevention
for non-dental providers |
| - NEW Pediatric
Asthma project to assess Indoor Air Environment ( as of 10/03) |
| - Quarterly newsletter with timely
information on primary care |
| - Easy access to website for links
to other national programs and resources |
| - NEW Member subscription
to the Journal of Healthcare for Poor and Underserved (as of
1/04) |
| - Resources assisting clinicians’
and patients’ efforts to obtain free or lower cost medications |
| - NEW Educational
module on professional well-being of membership |
For our membership application
click here.
|
