Swelling ranks of US jobless yearn for health insurance

For many among the growing ranks of unemployed workers in the United States, the scariest part of losing their job is losing their health insurance.

Even before the current economic crisis, 45 million Americans were uninsured. That number is expected to rise to 54 million by 2019 if changes aren't made to the system, according to the director of the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office.

One of the swelling ranks, Amy Newlin, has been getting by on her savings and unemployment benefits after she and her husband lost their jobs last fall.

But while they can cut back on dinners out, new clothes or other inessentials, the costs of treating her diabetes, high blood pressure and thyroid difficulties have risen dramatically.

"I need insulin strips to test my blood, and medicine for my high blood pressure," Newlin told AFP.

"My insulin is 80 dollars a bottle without insurance and the strips are expensive, too. It's not easy to keep up."

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