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

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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.

Resources on National Health Reform Efforts
The Kaiser Family Foundation has a number of resources that provide insight into the nation’s health care challenges and various health reform proposals being considered at the national and state levels.

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Turning to Medicaid and SCHIP in an Economic Recession: Conversations with Recent Applicants and Enrollees -- December 2008

This issue brief, drawn from five focus group discussions, sheds light on the experiences of families who have suffered financial reversals and lost health coverage in the economic downturn, forcing many to turn to safety-net programs such as Medicaid and SCHIP for the first time.

Resources on National Health Reform Efforts -- December 2008

The Kaiser Family Foundation has a number of resources that provide insight into the nation's health care challenges and various health reform proposals being considered at the national and state levels.

Health Insurance Coverage of Women Ages 18 to 64, by State, 2006-2007 -- December 2008
This fact sheet provides state-by-state data on the uninsured rate, as well as rates of private insurance coverage and Medicaid coverage, among women nationally, in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Pulling It Together: The "R" Word Is Back -- December 2008
In his latest essay for "Pulling It Together, From Drew Altman," the Foundation's President and CEO reviews the history of regulation in health and the return of regulatory approaches to the health policy agenda and how they fit in health reform.

Approaches to Covering the Uninsured: A Guide -- December 2008

This reference guide from the Foundation's Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured summarizes the key strategies for expanding coverage to the nation's 45 million people without health insurance and explains how policy options can be combined to form comprehensive reform proposals.

Health Coverage in a Period of Rising Unemployment -- December 2008

This policy brief outlines the public and private options available to help people maintain coverage if they become unemployed during a downturn and cannot get employer-sponsored coverage through a spouse.

President-Elect Obama's Campaign Position on Health Reform and Other Health Care Issues -- November 2008
These summaries explain President-Elect Obama's campaign proposal on comprehensive health reform, as well as his campaign positions on a variety of other health care issues.

Health Coverage of Children: The Role of Medicaid and SCHIP -- November 2008

This fact sheet summarizes the latest coverage data on the nation's children and examines the key role played by two public health coverage programs, Medicaid and SCHIP.

The Fraying Link Between Work and Health Insurance: Trends in Employer-Sponsored Insurance for Employees, 2000-2007 -- November 2008

This analysis examines the factors behind the steady decline in the share of workers with employer-sponsored health insurance coverage between 2000 and 2007 and how that has contributed to increases in the uninsured rate for employees and their children.

Pulling It Together: Keeping the Health Reform Coalition Together -- November 2008
In his latest essay for "Pulling It Together, From Drew Altman," the Foundation's President and CEO looks toward a future health reform debate and a potential schism between advocates of long-term health delivery system changes and those who think there needs to be immediate help for the uninsured and the insured struggling with the cost of health care. He ponders whether budget woes and a crowded policy agenda that limits health reform to incremental changes will splinter the health reform coalition.

This fact sheet provides state-by-state data on the uninsured rate, as well as rates of private insurance coverage and Medicaid coverage, among women nationally, in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

In his latest essay for "Pulling It Together, From Drew Altman," the Foundation's President and CEO reviews the history of regulation in health and the return of regulatory approaches to the health policy agenda and how they fit in health reform.

These summaries explain President-Elect Obama's campaign proposal on comprehensive health reform, as well as his campaign positions on a variety of other health care issues.

This fact sheet summarizes the latest coverage data on the nation's children and examines the key role played by two public health coverage programs, Medicaid and SCHIP.

In his latest essay for "Pulling It Together, From Drew Altman," the Foundation's President and CEO looks toward a future health reform debate and a potential schism between advocates of long-term health delivery system changes and those who think there needs to be immediate help for the uninsured and the insured struggling with the cost of health care. He ponders whether budget woes and a crowded policy agenda that limits health reform to incremental changes will splinter the health reform coalition.

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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.