Health Care Haves and Have Nots

AP US Government and Politics

The citizens of what state have the lowest rate of health care insurance in the US?

  1. How accurate was your prediction?

  2. What most surprised you about this data?

  3. What patterns do you notice in the chart/map?

  4. Is this chart/map good news?

  5. Why do you think some states have different rates of health insurance coverage than others?

  6. What is a consequence of these different rates of health insurance?

  7. What would the following people say about the data in the chart/map: Liberal/Conservative/Libertarian?

  8. What are some consequences for states with very high levels of uninsured citizens?

  9. What specific program that attempted to raise the rate of health insurance coverage in the US was rejected by most of the sates that now have the highest rates of uninsured?

  10. Why do you think these states rejected this program?

  11. What is the connection between this data and political party affiliation?

  12. What does any of this have to do with federalism?

  13. If we lived in a country with a unitary form of government, how would this information most likely be different?

  14. What was the overall direction of health insurance coverage during the 8 years between 2008-1016?

  15. President Trump has said repeatedly that he wants to destroy Obamacare. Obamacare was mostly responsible for lowering the rates of uninsured people in America. Why do you think Trump wants to take a step that will certainly cause a huge rise in the rate of the uninsured in America?

  16. What do you predict the rate of health insurance coverage will look like after 8 years of Trump?

  17. Describe one policy that could immediately lower the rate of uninsured nationwide?

  18. Describe one policy that could immediately raise the rate of uninsured nationwide?

  19. Explain which of those two policies you would prefer:

  20. Let's say you were in charge of leading charge for reducing the number of people with health insurance. Write a slogan to get people to be on your side in this fight!

Action Extension

Contact The White House and let them know what you think about their efforts to undo Obamacare.

Learning Extension

Check out the interactive map of health insurance rates in the US.

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Racing for Votes

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Tectonic Political Ideology