Of death and (lack of) health insurance

Thousands of Californians die prematurely each year because they lack health insurance, according to a national study.

Released by Families USA, the study found that about 3,164 Californians between the ages of 25 and 64 died prematurely in 2010 because they weren’t covered by health insurance—the highest figure in the nation, according to New America Media. Californians—Hispanic citizens in particular—are less likely to have health insurance, receive employer-based health benefits and be able to afford coverage than residents of other states.

On a national level, the annual number of U.S. residents who died as a result of not having health insurance increased annually from 20,350 to 26,100 between 2005 and 2010, equaling a total of 134,120 uninsured residents who died prematurely in that period.