Information technology holds considerable promise for improving outreach to families with uninsured children, getting them enrolled in Medicaid and SCHIP and keeping them covered. This report documents the promising practices underway across the country to use technology to make enrollment and renewal more efficient, more responsive to family needs and more accountable to the public. The report identifies additional actions that can be taken at the federal and state level to use these tools wisely to benefit the administration of public programs.

Report (.pdf)

This May 2007 Kaiser Family Foundation report is the first of several that will track the progress and challenges facing people living in the New Orleans area in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. To conduct the study, a team of 41 interviewers visited 456 randomly selected census areas, documented the physical condition of nearly 17,000 housing locations and completed interviews with 1,504 randomly chosen adults living in the four parishes between September and November 2006. The survey’s margin of sampling error is plus or minus four percentage points.

Full Report (.pdf)

Executive Summary (.pdf)

Findings (.pdf)

Appendix A: New Orleans Area Demographics and Population Estimates (.pdf)

Appendix B: Profile of Housing Devastation (.pdf)

Appendix C: Creating Aggregate Impact and Problem Measures (.pdf)

Appendix D: Survey Methodology (.pdf)

Appendix E: Survey Topline Results (.pdf)

Largely due to a high uninsured rate, low-income, non-citizen children have very poor access to care, with many lacking a regular provider and going without preventive care. This brief examines health coverage and access to care for low-income, non-citizen children to provide insight into the challenges they face in obtaining health insurance and accessing care.

Issue Brief (.pdf)

President’s FY 2008 Budget and Medicaid

The President’s FY 2008 budget proposes $25.7 billion in federal Medicaid cuts over the next five years through a combination of both legislative and regulatory changes. This fact sheet summarizes the President’s FY 2008 budget proposals for the Medicaid program.

Fact Sheet (.pdf)

These charts highlight key data about the Medicare Advantage program, which has grown rapidly in terms of enrollment and number of plans since the enactment of the Medicare Modernization Act in 2003. The package includes a map showing Medicare Advantage penetration by state as well as key facts about private fee-for-service plans, which have contributed significantly to the recent growth of the Medicare Advantage program.

Chartpack (.pdf)

Health Affairs Article: From ‘Soak The Rich’ To ‘Soak The Poor’: Recent Trends In Hospital Pricing

The May-June 2007 issue of Health Affairs features a Foundation-supported study on recent trends in hospital pricing, including comparisons of rates charged to self-pay patients versus those with insurance coverage. The article also examies three specific policy options that could lower the markups for self-pay patients: a voluntary effort by hospitals, litigation, and legislation

Health Affairs article “From ‘Soak The Rich’ To ‘Soak The Poor’: Recent Trends In Hospital Pricing” (free access)

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About Kaiser Polls

The Foundation runs the largest public opinion research program in health. It undertakes original research on the public’s attitudes towards health and social policy issues. Working independently – or in partnership with major national media organizations and academic partners – the Foundation examines Americans’ knowledge and beliefs on major issues and challenges in order to amplify the public’s voice in national debates.

For more information, please contact kaiserpolls@kff.org.

About Kaiser Polls

The Foundation runs the largest public opinion research program in health. It undertakes original research on the public’s attitudes towards health and social policy issues. Working independently – or in partnership with major national media organizations and academic partners – the Foundation examines Americans’ knowledge and beliefs on major issues and challenges in order to amplify the public’s voice in national debates.

For more information, please email kaiserpolls@kff.org

Note: Estimates are rounded to the nearest whole number, therefore do not sum to total. (1) Includes Veterans Administration, Indian Health Service, employer plans without retiree subsidies, employer plans for active workers, and state pharmaceutical assistance programs. (2) Includes employer/union, FEHB, and TRICARE coverage. (3) Approximately 0.5 million dual eligibles are enrolled in Medicare Advantage drug plans and are reported in this category.

Source: HHS, January 30, 2007. Data as of January 16, 2007.

President’s FY2008 Budget and The State Children’s Health Insurance Program

The State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) was established in 1997 to build on Medicaid’s coverage of children. The program must be reauthorized this year to continue uninterrupted. This fact sheet summarizes the President’s budget proposal to reauthorize the SCHIP for the next five years.

Fact Sheet (.pdf)