Health Insurance Coverage Of Low-Income Women


Low-income women’s high rate of health problems and limited economic resources make access to health care and adequate health insurance coverage particularly important. Health coverage, whether through the private sector or publicly through Medicaid, has been demonstrated to improve access to care for low-income women. However, obtaining coverage is not easy or even possible for many women. Job-based insurance is not always an option for low-income women, despite their high workforce participation. Assistance is available to some women through Medicaid, but the program s restrictive income and categorical requirements leave millions ineligible and often uninsured. This fact sheet presents coverage rates for low-income women ages 18 to 64, highlights subgroups of women at particular risk of being uninsured, and examines changes in coverage from 1994 to 1998.


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