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

Sort Documents by:

Document Type:

Date Range:

Health Coverage in an Economic Downturn: Impact of Tight Budgets for Families and States
The economic downturn has strained family finances and led some Americans to cut back on medical care. The Foundation has a number of resources that shed light on how Americans and states are faring and provide background on the uninsured, employer-sponsored health insurance costs and trends in states’ Medicaid enrollment and spending.

Updated Fact Sheet, Issue Brief on the Uninsured and Health Reform
Two updated documents offer the latest available data on the uninsured, shedding light on an issue at the heart of the health reform debate.

Recent Documents: (829 results)

Pages 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 >>

Immigrants’ Health Coverage and Health Reform: Key Questions and Answers -- September 2009
This issue brief provides an overview of key questions related to immigrant health care and health reform, addressing subjects such as how immigrants receive health coverage, how many of the uninsured are non-citizen immigrants and what would happen to coverage for non-citizen immigrants under current health reform proposals.

Updated Resources on the Uninsured and Health Reform -- September 2009
Two updated documents offer the latest available data on the uninsured, shedding light on an issue at the heart of the health reform debate.

2009 Kaiser/HRET Employer Health Benefit Survey -- September 2009
This benchmark annual survey of employers provides a detailed look at trends in employer-sponsored health coverage, including changes in premiums, employee contributions, cost-sharing policies and other relevant information.

"Pulling it Together": Simple Arithmetic -- September 2009
In his latest essay for "Pulling It Together, From Drew Altman," the Foundation's President and CEO explores how health insurance premiums could rise to $30000 within 10 years and the implications of such an increase.

Medicaid Enrollment in 50 States: June 2008 Data Update -- September 2009

This data update shows that in June 2008, 43.5 million individuals were enrolled in Medicaid in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, a 3.0 percent increase from the previous June. The increase represents a major reversal from the 0.6 percent decline from June 2006 to June 2007.

Matching Health Benefit Packages to Health Needs: Key Issues To Consider In Health Reform -- September 2009

Three reports and a video examine the range of health care needs and costs that people face today against the backdrop of the scope of health coverage that may be available to them under health reform.

Video: Oral Histories: Report from a Dental Fair -- September 2009

This video, a companion to a report of the same title, profiles patients attending a dental fair in rural Virginia and highlights the impact of lack of coverage for oral health services on adults. Uninsured adults have vast oral care needs, and untreated dental problems can have serious health, employment and social consequences, highlighting the relationship between inadequate benefits and unmet health needs.

Individuals with Special Needs and Health Reform: Adequacy of Health Insurance Coverage -- September 2009

This issue brief examines the health care needs and health costs of individuals with special health challenges, focusing on those with low-to-moderate incomes, against the backdrop of the health coverage that may be available under health reform.

Oral Histories: Report From a Dental Fair for Uninsured Adults -- September 2009
This report profiles patients attending a dental fair in rural Virginia to highlight the impact of lack of coverage for oral health services on adults.

Massachusetts Health Care Reform: Three Years Later -- September 2009

This fact sheet describes the basic components of the landmark Massachusetts health reform law, examines how many people have gained coverage and discusses cost containment and affordability goals and implementation challenges.

This issue brief provides an overview of key questions related to immigrant health care and health reform, addressing subjects such as how immigrants receive health coverage, how many of the uninsured are non-citizen immigrants and what would happen to coverage for non-citizen immigrants under current health reform proposals.

Two updated documents offer the latest available data on the uninsured, shedding light on an issue at the heart of the health reform debate.

This benchmark annual survey of employers provides a detailed look at trends in employer-sponsored health coverage, including changes in premiums, employee contributions, cost-sharing policies and other relevant information.

In his latest essay for "Pulling It Together, From Drew Altman," the Foundation's President and CEO explores how health insurance premiums could rise to $30000 within 10 years and the implications of such an increase.

This report profiles patients attending a dental fair in rural Virginia to highlight the impact of lack of coverage for oral health services on adults.

View all items >

Pages 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 >>

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.