Uninsured are not getting flu shots anyway. They’re also not going to the doctor for other health problems that may compromise their immune system making the potentially more likely to become ill.

In addition to that it’s a good guess that a lot of them are the “working poor” so they can’t AFFORD to miss work if they’re having mild (or even severe) flu-like symptoms. Or better yet, they do work but have Big-Co Pay-HMO and can’t afford to use their insurance much anyway.

So, they go to work and spread H1N1 around to all their coworkers and anyone else they come in contact with at work (retail) or on their way to and from work (think bus-ride).

These same people are likely to bring a host of family members with them when they finally do go to the emergency room nicely spreading things around even more.

More importantly, by off-loading a lot of routine problems (sinus infections, some bladder problems, colds, earaches, fevers less than 103, etc) from primary care physicians, that frees up space at the primary care MDs’ offices.

Walk-ins will be one way the market will deal with the lack of primary care MDs. And, for the unsured, the fees are relatively reasonable. Typically about $45 but one just opened in my city (staffed with PAs, NPs, AND an MD on duty) for only $22.

Seems the free market will solve these problems if we just get out of its way.