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KFF designs, conducts and analyzes original public opinion and survey research on Americans’ attitudes, knowledge, and experiences with the health care system to help amplify the public’s voice in major national debates.
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State Health Facts is a KFF project that provides free, up-to-date, and easy-to-use health data for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the United States. It offers data on specific types of health insurance coverage, including employer-sponsored, Medicaid, Medicare, as well as people who are uninsured by demographic characteristics, including age, race/ethnicity, work status, gender, and income. There are also data on health insurance status for a state's population overall and broken down by age, gender, and income.
New Survey on Women's Health in the U.S. A new national survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation finds most women report generally positive experiences with the health care system, but a sizable share faced problems. A significant minority of nonelderly women reported delaying or going without care in the past year or not filling a prescription due to costs. Women are more likely than men both to face these problems and express concerns about the…
A new study conducted by researchers at Tufts-New England Medical Center, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Commonwealth Fund, reports results from a 2001 survey of 10,927 noninstitutionalized seniors in eight geographically diverse states: California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. State-level data on drug coverage, medication use, out-of-pocket costs, and cost-related medication skipping among community-dwelling seniors are highlighted to examine how coverage and experiences differ by state and how…
Part 2 Even when insurance is offered to low-wage workers, its costs to these workers may be substantial, and, for some, a barrier to coverage. In 1996, workers had to contribute an average of $1,615 per year for family coverage, or about 30% of the total premium.5 Thus, a worker who earned $10 an hour in 1996, with annual wages of about $20,000, would have had to spend 8% of earnings to buy family coverage.*…
Health Insurance Coverage in America: 2001 Data Update This chartbook provides year 2001 data on health insurance coverage, with special attention to the uninsured. It includes trends and major shifts in coverage and a profile of the uninsured population. Chartbook A link to additional state-specific data on the uninsured at State Health Facts. Link to other Health Insurance Coverage in America chartbooks.
This report analyzes enrollment data and conveys focus group findings about the impact of North Carolina's freezing enrollment in their SCHIP program. Report
This fact sheet, recently updated with 2002 data, describes how long the uninsured remain without coverage, who tends to go without insurance for long spells of time, and what difference time without coverage makes in terms of access to and utilization of care. Fact Sheet (.pdf) Link to Policy Brief: Is Lack of Coverage a Short- or Long-Term Condition?
This paper produces alternative estimates of the numbers of uninsured and explores the distribution of the duration of uninsured spells for people who lacked coverage at some time during a 12-month period. Policy Brief Link to fact sheet, Lack of Coverage: A Long-Term Problem for Most Uninsured
The current economy is a key concern as federal and state leaders worry about the expected rise in unemployment and the related loss of employer health coverage. Policymakers are considering several options to ensure that we do not experience a health coverage crisis as we deal with the impact of the September 11th tragedy and ongoing concerns. In addition, states that were already preparing for budget problems are reporting even worse scenarios for their fiscal…
The Medicare Chartbook includes data and background information critical to understanding the Medicare program and the challenges it faces in keeping up with the rising costs of health care and in ensuring the program s future financial security.
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. Issue Paper
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