The New Child Health Insurance Program: A Carefully Crafted Compromise

Published: Oct 1, 1999

This paper explores the major policy compromises embodied in the CHIP program. It focuses on two areas: the relative control of the federal and state governments over the program, and the design of the program in relation to the private, employer-based health insurance market.This paper is part of the Kaiser Incremental Health Reform Project.

Issue Brief (.pdf)

Expanding Health Insurance Through Tax Reform

Published: Oct 1, 1999

This paper discusses the impacts of the Heritage Foundation proposal for expanding health insurance coverage. Under the proposed tax reform, the employer tax exclusion and all other deductions for health-related expenses would be repealed. A new refundable tax credit would be created for unreimbursed medical expenses. This paper is part of the Kaiser Incremental Health Reform Project.

An Assessment of Strategies for Expanding Health Insurance Coverage

Published: Oct 1, 1999

This paper provides a conceptual analysis of alternative mechanisms (tax credits, public programs, and direct subsidies) for expanding health insurance coverage. The paper, which is part of the Kaiser Incremental Health Reform Project, discusses the likely impacts alternative approaches on a variety of outcomes including efficiency in increasing coverage and integration with existing insurance systems.

Extending Health Insurance Through Tax Credits

Published: Oct 1, 1999

Part of the Kaiser Incremental Health Reform Project, this paper describes a generous tax credit approach to the expansion of health insurance coverage. The design features of refundable, publicly-financed tax credits for the purchase of health insurance are described for a range of sample plans.

Poll Finding

Race, Ethnicity & Medical Care: A Survey of Public Perceptions and Experiences

Published: Sep 30, 1999

Toplines

This is a copy of the results of a telephone survey conducted on a random, national sample of nearly 4,000 African American, Latino and white adults, 18 years of age and older. The questions were designed to reveal what each respondent believed about the impact of race and ethnicity on medical care today. Some questions asked about respondents’ experiences and others asked about their perceptions.

Chart Pack

This chartpack includes a number of figures that are based on the results of the survey on perceptions of, experiences with, and attitudes about racial and ethnic disparities in medical care.

Making Child Health Coverage a Reality: Lessons From Case Studies of Medicaid and CHIP Outreach and Enrollment Strategies

Published: Sep 30, 1999

Recent expansions in public health insurance for children and changes in welfare laws present states with the challenge of identifying and enrolling the large population of uninsured children in their Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP). This study describes and analyzes the outreach and enrollment strategies and systems in place in four states at the county level, highlighting issues and challenges states face during implementation. The study sites selected were Santa Clara County (San Jose), California; Bibb County (Macon), Georgia; Cuyahoga County (Cleveland), Ohio; and Bernalillo County (Albuquerque), New Mexico.

A Synthesis of the Literature: Racial & Ethnic Differences in Access to Medical Care

Published: Sep 30, 1999

This document summarizes a literature review on the subject from 1985-1999. Research topics addressed in the report include racial disparities in heart disease and stroke, cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, mental health, and maternal and child health. Sentinel articles are identified and tabled in an appendix.

Race, Ethnicity and Medical Care: Improving Access in a Diverse Society

Published: Sep 30, 1999

In an effort to address the racial inequities in health care that exist today, the Kaiser Family Foundation brought together leading public and private sector policymakers — including health professionals, educators, civil rights leaders, and consumer organizations — to review the evidence and race and medical care and discuss what can be done to address inequities in care.

The following materials were released at the October 14, 1999, forum:

Perceptions of How Race & Ethnic Background Affect Medical Care

Published: Sep 30, 1999

This document is a summary of the findings from twelve separate focus groups conducted to better understand how race and ethnic background affect medical care. Seven of the focus groups were minority American health care consumers and the other five focus groups were largely white health care professionals and hospital administrators.

Los Latinos y el VIH/SIDA

Published: Sep 29, 1999

Latinos and HIV/AIDS (Spanish version)

This fact sheet provides an overview of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States as it has affected Latinos, including information on the disproportionate impact of HIV/AIDS on the Latino community and a current case profile. It is available in English and Spanish.