Health News Index May/June, 2002

The Health News Index measures public attention to and knowledge about leading health stories covered in the news in April and May, including discussions in Congress about a Medicare prescription drug benefit and warnings by medical researchers about possible harmful side effects of newer prescription drugs compared to older, similarly effective drugs. The Health News Index is designed to help news media and people in the health field gain a better understanding of which health stories Americans are following and what they understand about those issues.

• HNI May-June 2002
• Topline/Survey

African Americans represent twelve percent of the U.S. population, or approximately 35 million people, but have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

• Fact Sheet:

This report analyzes enrollment data of recent years and draws on state experiences to outline the key strategies that will lead to successful enrollment in public health coverage programs and finds that improving enrollment in Medicaid drives improved overall enrollment into a state s public coverage programs.

The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured highlighted two new reports at the policy briefing, , and released several related publications at the event.

• Reaching Uninsured Children Through Medicaid: If You Build It Right, They Will Come (.pdf)
• Enrolling Children and Families in Health Coverage: The Promise of Doing More (.pdf)
• Medicaid Program Enrollment: Data Update September 2001 (.pdf)
• SCHIP Program Enrollment: December 2001 Update (.pdf)
• Acceleration of Medicaid Spending Reflects Mounting Pressures (.pdf)
• Medicaid Update: What Changes Are States Considering in the Face of Fiscal Pressures?
• View a webcast and transcript of this event

The 50 state survey of enrollment simplification and renewal procedural reforms, shows that states continue to take steps to transform the Medicaid program from its origins as a welfare-based program into something resembling a more traditional health insurance program.

• Report (.pdf)

>>All 50-State Children’s Health Coverage Reports

This policy brief examines health coverage for low-income parents after the 1996 welfare law broke the historical connection between Medicaid coverage and welfare. Many states have altered their rules and some have expanded coverage for low-income working parents.

• Policy Brief

Welfare and Work: How Do They Affect Parents’ Health Care Coverage?

This fact sheet presents an overview of issues involving health care coverage for parents who are shifting from welfare to the workforce.

• Fact Sheet

New NPR/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard Kennedy School of Government Survey on Health Care

A new survey by NPR, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Harvard s Kennedy School of Government finds that many Americans have real problems when it comes to accessing and paying for health care, and even if they haven’t yet faced a problem, many worry about getting and paying for care in the future. The survey also shows that, while people think helping seniors with the cost of prescription drugs should be a priority, most seniors would not be willing to pay significantly more than they pay now for drug coverage under Medicare.

• Chart Pack

NPR/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard Kennedy School of Government Survey on Health Care

A survey by NPR, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Harvard s Kennedy School of Government finds that many Americans have real problems when it comes to accessing and paying for health care, and even if they haven’t yet faced a problem, many worry about getting and paying for care in the future. The survey also shows that, while people think helping seniors with the cost of prescription drugs should be a priority, most seniors would not be willing to pay significantly more than they pay now for drug coverage under Medicare.

• Summary of Findings
• Chart Pack
• Toplines/Survey
• View results and listen to stories about the survey on NPR’s website

New NPR/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard Kennedy School of Government Survey on Health Care

A new survey by NPR, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Harvard s Kennedy School of Government finds that many Americans have real problems when it comes to accessing and paying for health care, and even if they haven’t yet faced a problem, many worry about getting and paying for care in the future. The survey also shows that, while people think helping seniors with the cost of prescription drugs should be a priority, most seniors would not be willing to pay significantly more than they pay now for drug coverage under Medicare.

• Summary of Findings