Families USA used previous national research to compile state data on uninsured death rates.

Executive director of Families USA Ron Pollack says, on average, eight adult Californians without health insurance die every day.

Pollack: “California has the highest average number of people dying due to a lack of health insurance of any other state.”

Pollack says in 2006 more than 3,000 uninsured Californians died. He says these patients often wait too long to go to the doctor and get a late diagnosis for terminal illnesses like cancer. He also says federal funding cuts to health programs for the poor, like Medi-Cal, can be deadly for patients.