The showdown is imminent.
The Republicans have no interest in health care reform.
But why are Democrats wavering?
CNN has provided a list of wavering and uncommitted Democrats as of March 16th.
Who do they represent?
How do these so-called Democrats represent the interests of their constituents?
Two sources offer information at the congressional district level on the number of uninsured and the health status of the population. This piece does not defend or even explain their methodologies.
The Urban Institute studied rates of uninsurance at the state and congressional district level.
The American Human Development Report applies a methodology used by the United Nations to examine health, income, and education in the United States and has drilled down to the congressional district level.
The table below takes the CNN list and adds the congressional district numbers for rates of uninsurance provided by the Urban Institute and the health status index provided by the American Development Report. The national average is on the top row. Congressional district rates worse than their state’s average are shaded.
Some highlights:
- CNN lists 85 Democrats who have not committed to supporting their party’s health care proposal as of Tuesday.
- 41.2% of those Democrats come from districts with rates of un-insured higher than the national average of 17%.
- Over half – 51.8% – have rates of un-insured higher than their own state’s average.
- 61.2% represent districts with a health status index below the national average of 5.0.
- Over two-thirds – 67.1% -represent districts with a health status lower than that of their own state.
Wavering Dems and their districts
Anyone wanting more detail should contact me directly.
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