Efforts have been made by the government to expand requirements for Medicaid coverage in an attempt to get more people health insurance. However, researchers estimate there are 4.7 million children in the country who were eligible for Medicaid or CHIP, but are not enrolled in 2008.

Enrollment levels in government health insurance programs vary in each state. A large number of uninsured children are clustered in three states: California, Texas, and Florida.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan aim to enroll five million eligible children in Medicaid or CHIP in five years.

Duncan says the school system will play a role in identifying and enrolling eligible students. Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says health-related factors can lead to poor academic performance.

"If a child is not healthy, he or she cannot learn," said Duncan. "The education community has a critical role to play in finding and enrolling eligible children."

Those who don't qualify for Medicaid or CHIP shouldn't go without coverage. If an insurance plan isn't offered through an employer, people can begin researching plans and get individual health insurance quotes online.

A lack of health insurance coverage isn't the only barrier people face to getting care. Some people cannot access health services because of transportation.

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center closed its Braddock branch earlier this year for economic reasons. A slew of complaints came in, saying the closure violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

A large number of those who rely in the hospital for care are African-American and rely on public transportation. Without the UPMC Braddock location being open, residents would be faced with long commutes to neighboring hospitals.

"We recognize that health care institutions are confronted with difficult economic decisions," said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services office of civil rights Director Georgina Verdugo. "However, those decisions must consider the impact on communities and steps must be taken consistent with their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, to ameliorate that impact."

Having adequate access to health services is crucial to one's well-being as well as the healthcare system. Those who go without care may ultimately end up with a costly condition that could have been prevented if proper measures were taken early on.