As Cover the Uninsured Week nears, Bronx leaders are urging residents to seek coverage, especially for their children.

According to officials, one in three Bronx residents is currently uninsured. Borough President Adolfo Carrión Jr. says it's a startling statistic. "The message is clear. In the wealthiest part of the country, a global city like New York, and there are still so many people that are uninsured ... something needs to be done," said Carrión.

The United Caribbean Congress and the Legacy Coalition are teaming up with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to host Medicare and Medicaid sign-up events from April 23 through April 29. Insurance applicants must provide proof of age, address and income. The head of the household must also provide one month's worth of pay stubs. Organizers want to remind people that children under the age of 18 are eligible for insurance, regardless of immigration status.

A recent Robert Wood Johnson Foundation study found it would cost about $34 billion annually to insure every American. Carrión says the figure is far less than the cost of waging wars overseas.

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