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What do you think is the most important problem in health or health care for the government to address? Is there another problem you think is almost as important for the government to address? Apr-03 COSTS (NET) 35 Cost of prescription drugs/medicines 15 Cost of health care 15 Cost of insurance/affordable insurance 7 Costs – other (incl. doctor and hospital costs) 3 Seniors’ issues (NET) 23 Senior citizens’ care/ issues (incl.…
Outreach Strategies for Medicaid and SCHIP: An Overview of Effective Strategies and Activities This paper highlights key components of effective outreach strategies to enroll children in Medicaid and SCHIP and also to get them access to care once enrolled. In addition, the paper examines how these strategies have been implemented in states and the challenges of continuing to push for enrollment as states face continued fiscal pressures and barriers to participation are resurrected. Report (.pdf)
The annual 50-state survey of enrollment and eligibility policies in Medicaid and SCHIP for low-income families reveals that 20 states are taking actions to simplify procedures and requirements for beneficiaries and, in some cases, expand eligibility.
This study examines the privately insured who have had problems paying medical bills and compares their access to care to those who have not had medical bill problems as well as those with no health coverage at all, using a national representative survey of adults. The study finds that care-seeking patterns among those with private coverage but having problems paying their medical bills resembled those of the uninsured. Executive Summary (.pdf) Report (.pdf)
This brief reviews Medicaid’s current eligibility structure and the health needs of the people covered by Medicaid. Due to the trends of limited and declining access to private health coverage in the low-income population and the growing health and long-term care demands of an aging population, a broader model for Medicaid eligibility is considered and the implications of recent legislative and policy developments for coverage are assessed. Issue Brief (.pdf)
Immigrants in the U.S. face increasing challenges securing health care coverage. They have less access to employer-sponsored insurance than native citizens and face tighter restrictions on their eligibility for Medicaid and SCHIP, the nation’s major public health coverage programs for low-income children and families. This fact sheet provides an overview of the current rules on immigrants' eligibility for Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Fact Sheet (.pdf)
, details the different types of private plan options available to people on Medicare. These include Medicare Advantage plans (such as Medicare HMOs, PPOs and private fee-for-service plans) and new stand-alone prescription drug plans. • In 2006, all Medicare beneficiaries have access to at least one type of private Medicare Advantage plan, up from 77% in 2004. The increase in access stems largely from the creation of new Medicare regional PPOs and the expansion of…
Because over seven million elderly and disabled individuals are entitled to benefits under both Medicare and Medicaid, policy changes in one program not only affect both coverage and spending in the other but also impact access to services by individuals eligible for both programs. This primer summarizes two key policy interactions and includes a quick reference table of the most significant linkages between the two programs. Issue Brief (.pdf)
The first National Healthcare Disparities Report was issued by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in 2003. Now, three years later, the Kaiser Family Foundation hosts a forum to discuss what has been learned following the release of AHRQ's latest progress report on disparities, and how that information can guide us going forward. During the forum, panelists and the audience discuss how the report can inform policy, research and efforts of health plans and…
This Kaiser survey report looks at how the bankruptcies of two steel companies, the LTV Corporation and Bethlehem Steel, affected health coverage for the companies' retirees and dependents. The bankruptcies left about 200,000 retirees and spouses without retiree health coverage in 2002 and 2003. The report provides insight into the impact of a tax credit enacted by Congress in 2002 to provide temporary assistance to workers and retirees in "distressed" industries, including the steel industry.…
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