In California alone, nearly 4 million working people lack health insurance. Many of them are young, educated professionals who freelance or work part time. These are the invisible uninsured, our neighbors and friends. Often, lacking health care is their uncomfortable secret.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll hear some of the stories of this group. Today, KALW’s Zoe Corneli reports on educated young adults who make the choice to live without health insurance.

San Francisco's public heath program, Healthy San Francisco, services nearly 47,000 uninsured patients. Some of those patients are young, educated professionals, the subject of a three-part series we are reporting. In part two, KALW's Zoe Corneli speaks with one member of Healthy San Francisco who is frustrated with the program. Her experience mirrors that of a third of participants who reported to the independent Kaiser Family Foundation that at least one aspect of getting care is more difficult now than before they joined the program.