Health care for the indigent: overview of critical issues.

Health care for the indigent is a major problem in the United States. This review of the literature on health care for the indigent was undertaken to determine which major questions remain unresolved. Overall, this article finds that a very large pool of individuals under age 65 are at risk of being medically indigent. A myriad of health programs for some economically disadvantaged individuals do exist, but their level of funding has fluctuated over time--and many poor individuals must rely entirely on the generosity of a relatively small number of hospitals and other providers for their care. Economic pressures on these providers as well as structural changes in the health care sector can only adversely affect the amount of charity care that they offer. It is clear that a well-planned solution to indigent care in the United States, rather than a piecemeal approach, is needed.