Children hit hardest by bad economy
Not surprisingly, a new report shows that children bear most of the brunt of poverty in the United States.
The rising cost of living, unemployment, and a tough economic situation in the United States are forcing many families with children into lower income brackets “and even into poverty where they are caught by the public healthcare program safety net,” she said.
The Census Bureau report showed that the percentage of Americans covered by government health insurance rose to 83 million last year from 80 million in 2006, or, in percentage terms, to 27.8 percent from 27.0 percent.
The percentage of Americans on employer-based insurance — the main source of health coverage for Americans — fell from 59.7 percent in 2006 to 59.3 percent last year, with the number remaining statistically unchanged at around 177 million.
The poverty threshold is currently set at 21,000 dollars (14,360 euros) for a family of four, but experts lamented that the 1960s-set standard was out of date.
“It doesn’t capture what it costs to meet some of a family’s basic necessities,” said Stoll.
Information from: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gDHB...
