The April Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds that six in ten Americans continues to say that they or a member of their household have delayed or skipped health care in the past year. A solid majority of the public believes health care reform is more important than ever because of current economic problems.

The country’s overall economic problems have not dampened their interest in pursuing health care reform: a solid majority of the public (59%) believes health care reform is more important than ever compared with the thirty-seven percent who say we can’t afford health reform because of economic problems.

The most common actions taken due to costs were substituting home remedies or over-the-counter drugs for doctors visits (42%) and skipping dental care or check ups (36%). Additionally, three in ten (29%) did not fill a prescription for medicine and two in ten (18%) cut pills in half or skipped doses.

The April Kaiser Health Tracking Poll, the second in a series designed and analyzed by the Foundation’s public opinion survey research team, examines voters’ specific health care issue interests and experiences and perceptions about health care reform.

Key Findings

Chartpack

Toplines

This summary and chartpack of the results of a survey by NPR and researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health highlight the public’s attitudes and experiences with the American health care delivery system. The new survey sheds light on Americans’ experiences with issues more typically discussed by health policy experts –- including electronic medical records, coordination of care and comparative effectiveness –- all of which have become serious components of reform plans and some of which have been signed into law this year. It also covers public opinion on possible policy changes.

The telephone survey of a nationally representative sample of 1,238 adults was conducted between March 12 and March 22.

The survey is the latest in a series of projects about health-related issues by NPR, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Harvard School of Public Health. Representatives of the three organizations worked together to develop the survey questionnaire and to analyze the results, with NPR maintaining editorial control over its broadcasts on the surveys.

Summary and Chartpack (.pdf)

These toplines from a survey by NPR and researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health highlight the public’s attitudes and experiences with the American health care delivery system. The new survey sheds light on Americans’ experiences with issues more typically discussed by health policy experts –- including electronic medical records, coordination of care and comparative effectiveness –- all of which have become serious components of reform plans and some of which have been signed into law this year. It also covers public opinion on possible policy changes.

The telephone survey of a nationally representative sample of 1,238 adults was conducted between March 12 and March 22.

The survey is the latest in a series of projects about health-related issues by NPR, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Harvard School of Public Health. Representatives of the three organizations worked together to develop the survey questionnaire and to analyze the results, with NPR maintaining editorial control over its broadcasts on the surveys.

Toplines (.pdf)

The Kaiser Family Foundation and the National Conference of State Legislatures co-sponsored a webinar, or interactive Web-based seminar, that examined key health policy aspects of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. The webinar for state legislative health chairs provided an overview of the stimulus law with a focus on provisions dealing with Medicaid, COBRA and health information technology.

Webinar

This updated fact sheet shows variations across states and racial and ethnic groups for six key health and health care indicators. It provides a quick glance at disparities in rates of infant mortality and diabetes-related mortality and AIDS cases in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as similar breakdowns showing the percentage of each group in each state that is uninsured, enrolled in Medicaid, and living in poverty.

Fact Sheet (.pdf)

This report contains the toplines from the 2009 Survey of Americans on HIV/AIDS. The survey was designed and analyzed by public opinion researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation and was conducted January 26 through March 8, 2009, among a nationally representative random sample of 2,554 adults ages 18 and older. Telephone interviews conducted by landline (N=1,951) and cell phone (N=603, including 214 who had no landline telephone) were carried out in English and Spanish. The survey includes oversamples of African American and Latino respondents as well as respondents ages 18– 29. Results for all groups have been weighted to reflect their actual distribution in the nation. The margin of sampling error for the overall survey is plus or minus 3 percentage points, for whites it is plus or minus 4 percentage points, for African Americans it is plus or minus 5 percentage points, and for Latinos it is plus or minus 6 percentage points.

Toplines (.pdf)

This document contains the key findings from the April Health Tracking Poll. The survey was designed and analyzed by public opinion researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation and was conducted April 2 through April 8, 2009, among a nationally representative random sample of 1,203 adults ages 18 and older. Telephone interviews conducted by landline (902) and cell phone (301, including 98 who had no landline telephone) were carried out in English and Spanish. The margin of sampling error for the total sample is plus or minus 3 percentage points. For results based on subgroups, the margin of sampling error is higher.

Key Findings (.pdf)

This study, published in a Health Affairs Web exclusive, provides the first national and state-by-state update of Medicaid physician fees since 2003.

Medicaid has historically reimbursed physicians under fee-for-service at levels below what Medicare and private health insurers would pay for the same services. The study finds that Medicaid fees grew by more than 15 percent from 2003 to 2008, but fell in real terms because the gains did not keep pace with inflation. Medicaid fees did grow faster than Medicare fees during that period, however, rising from 69 percent of Medicare in 2003 to 72 percent by 2008. Increases were greatest in Medicaid fees for primary care and obstetrical services.

Although findings are based only on Medicaid fee-for-service physician reimbursement, nearly two-thirds of program spending still occurs in the fee-for-service setting. The study was conducted by researchers at the Urban Institute in partnership with the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured and the California HealthCare Foundation.Study (free access until April 11, 2013)

This document contains the chartpack from the April Health Tracking Poll. The survey was designed and analyzed by public opinion researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation and was conducted April 2 through April 8, 2009, among a nationally representative random sample of 1,203 adults ages 18 and older. Telephone interviews conducted by landline (902) and cell phone (301, including 98 who had no landline telephone) were carried out in English and Spanish. The margin of sampling error for the total sample is plus or minus 3 percentage points. For results based on subgroups, the margin of sampling error is higher.

Chartpack (.pdf)

This document contains the toplines from the April Health Tracking Poll. The survey was designed and analyzed by public opinion researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation and was conducted April 2 through April 8, 2009, among a nationally representative random sample of 1,203 adults ages 18 and older. Telephone interviews conducted by landline (902) and cell phone (301, including 98 who had no landline telephone) were carried out in English and Spanish. The margin of sampling error for the total sample is plus or minus 3 percentage points. For results based on subgroups, the margin of sampling error is higher.

Toplines (.pdf)