Over 89 million Americans were without health insurance for all or part of 2006 and 2007. Among the total uninsured, 64.2 million are adults (18 to 64 years of age) and the vast majority (79.3%) were from working families.

The medically under-served are scattered around the United States in every city, town and village. If you look around, it is not difficult to find them. They are our neighbors. Their lack of health care is not just a problem for them, but for all of us.

No community can be truly healthy if a significant portion of the population is excluded from basic health care services. In the absence of a comprehensive health policy that includes health care for everyone, concerned citizens need to find other ways to provide the medically under-served with the health care services they need.

San Antonio has many wonderful services for the homeless and destitute. We are a community that takes responsibility for the less fortunate among us. We also have quality services and resources that make San Antonio a desirable place to live and work. The majority of our community has access to the finest medical facilities and personnel anywhere.

But what about the 24% (or 370,000 people) of our community that works hard every day, pays their bills, put their children through school and pay their taxes to support the community? They will usually postpone their treatment until they are sick enough to go to the emergency room of the nearest hospital.