Health Coverage & the Uninsured - Research, Public Opinion, Facts & Analysis

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New Study Featured in Health Affairs Finds Number of Working-Age Adults with Major Chronic Conditions Grew 25 Percent Over 10 Years
As the number of working-age adults who have major chronic conditions grew between 1997 and 2006, those without health coverage in this group experienced substantial erosion in access to health care according to a Kaiser study released today by the Journal Health Affairs.

New Analysis Shows Effect of Rising Unemployment on Health Coverage, Medicaid and SCHIP Spending and Enrollment
Every one percentage point rise in the unemployment rate leads to a 1.1 million increase in the uninsured population and a one million increase in Medicaid and SCHIP enrollment, according to a new Kaiser analysis. Another report analyzes the history of Medicaid during recent economic downturns.

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New Reports and Briefing Focus on Dental Health Coverage and Access -- July 2008

Three new reports about dental health coverage and access for the nation's low-income population were released by the Foundation's Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured at a Capitol Hill briefing examining these issues.

Access to Affordable Dental Care: Gaps for Low-Income Adults -- July 2008

This brief finds that both dental coverage and access to care are limited for low-income adults and that even low-income adults with dental coverage are not getting sufficient levels of needed dental care.

Filling an Urgent Need: Improving Children’s Access to Dental Care in Medicaid and SCHIP -- July 2008

This report is a summary of a discussion with oral health experts and their recommendations for state policies related to children’s access to oral health care.

Health Reform Resources on health08.org -- July 2008
A collection of resources on health reform issues from the Kaiser Family Foundation

Eroding Access among Nonelderly Adults with Chronic Conditions: Ten Years of Change -- July 2008
A study published in Health Affairs indicated that as the number of working-age adults who have major chronic conditions grew 25 percent between 1997 and 2006, those without health coverage in this group experienced substantial erosion in access to health care.

States Moving Towards Comprehensive Health Care Reform -- July 2008

With the problem of the uninsured continuing to grow, states have taken the lead in developing proposals to reform of their health care systems with the goal of significantly increasing the number of people with health coverage. An interactive map and related summaries of plans track which states have enacted or are planning comprehensive initiatives to cover their uninsured population.

Uninsured Young Adults: A Profile and Overview of Coverage Options -- June 2008

This brief examines health coverage for young adults, as well as their health status, access to care, and the financial burdens they encounter when paying for care. It also provides an overview of public and private approaches to expand health coverage for young adults.

Pulling It Together: Moving Away From Employer Based Coverage: Don't Forget Public Opinion -- June 2008
In the latest essay from the series "Pulling It Together, from Drew Altman," the Foundation’s President and CEO explores one factor important for the success of any proposal moving away from employment-based health insurance that has not received much attention to date—the public’s willingness to accept such a big change. These public attitudes are examined in the context of very different proposals to move away from an employment-based insurance system offered by both liberals and conservatives.

Healthy Indiana Plan: Key Facts and Issues -- June 2008

This fact sheet provides an overview of Indiana's new Medicaid waiver program, the Healthy Indiana Plan, which is the first that allows a state to use Medicaid funds to provide a benefit package modeled after a high-deductible plan and health savings account to previously uninsured adults. This piece examines key components of the plan and identifies key issues to consider.

Testimony: State-Based Health Reform Efforts -- June 2008
Gary Claxton, a Kaiser Family Foundation vice president, testified about state-based health reform efforts as part of the Senate Finance Committee's Prepare For Launch Health Reform Summit. His testimony examines the role of Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program, as well as the way various federal laws and policies may limit innovation at the state level.

This report is a summary of a discussion with oral health experts and their recommendations for state policies related to children’s access to oral health care.

A collection of resources on health reform issues from the Kaiser Family Foundation

A study published in Health Affairs indicated that as the number of working-age adults who have major chronic conditions grew 25 percent between 1997 and 2006, those without health coverage in this group experienced substantial erosion in access to health care.

In the latest essay from the series "Pulling It Together, from Drew Altman," the Foundation’s President and CEO explores one factor important for the success of any proposal moving away from employment-based health insurance that has not received much attention to date—the public’s willingness to accept such a big change. These public attitudes are examined in the context of very different proposals to move away from an employment-based insurance system offered by both liberals and conservatives.

Gary Claxton, a Kaiser Family Foundation vice president, testified about state-based health reform efforts as part of the Senate Finance Committee's Prepare For Launch Health Reform Summit. His testimony examines the role of Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program, as well as the way various federal laws and policies may limit innovation at the state level.

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Health Coverage & The Uninsured

Lack of health insurance coverage for 46 million Americans is one of the nation's most pressing problems. While most elderly Americans have coverage through Medicare and over 60% of non-elderly Americans receive health coverage through employer-sponsored plans, many workers and their families remain uninsured because their employer does not offer coverage or they cannot afford the cost of coverage. Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) help fill in the gaps for low-income children and some of their parents, but the reach of these programs is limited. As a result, millions of Americans without health insurance face adverse health consequences because of delayed or foregone health care and extending coverage to the uninsured has become a national priority.

This section provides data and information on the uninsured population, profiling the uninsured and describing the consequences to individuals and society from lack of health insurance. Data from surveys, studies of the impact of lack of insurance, and analysis of proposals for reform are provided. These materials can help to inform the debate on how to achieve coverage for the nation's 46 million uninsured.

The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured is the main source for the Foundation's work related to the uninsured population. The Commission provides analysis of the uninsured population, and the impact of lack of insurance on access to care and health status with a particular focus on the low-income population. Through its reports and briefings, the Commission provides up-to-date information on the number and characteristics of the uninsured and assesses options for reform. In addition, the Foundation continues to assess both incremental and comprehensive proposals to address the uninsured, including modeling reform proposals ranging from tax credits to expansions of public programs.