Health Insurance is a Family Matter (2002) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
2 Insurance Coverage of Families
2 Insurance Coverage of Families
Pages 24-45
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 24... ...
I: itFt<>ttn Both Mr tdtd t trwttra~; they a g e W h a r t h o t form= - n - ' I~ tm Orb. Rt~dn(t Mel the Statt Child mint clinic whe shy ~ - so - ' ,lly tFth~dttlftr I hto ~ttr t t a b it: 5 : ~ : :~:: ~ :: i; i.
|
From page 25... ...
The second section examines the resulting coverage patterns of various types of families in the United States and describes how coverage varies within different families and for different family members. It also takes a closer look at specific characteristics, such as income level, racial and ethnic identity, and immigrant status of families with children that may affect a family s likelihood of having one or more uninsured members.
|
From page 26... ...
The size and other characteristics of a state s employers and the types of industries making up a state s economy all influence the level of employment-based coverage, the proportion of the population who may need other sources of coverage, and family coverage patterns. These economic factors, and the nature of a state s fiscal and political circumstances, can affect the proportion of its population covered by employment-based or public insurance and the proportion that remains uninsured.
|
From page 27... ...
Within each state, these income thresholds vary by age group, family type, and health status and include different limits on family income, assets, and methods for deducting and disregarding certain costs and income (see Appendix B and Appendix D, Table Did. Although Medicaid has the advantage of limited or no cost sharing for participants and may have more generous benefits than either employment-based or individually purchased coverage, small increases in family income can disqualify the family, or particular family members such as older children or adults, from the program.
|
From page 28... ...
Another challenge in drawing parameters around the family unit stems from definitional inconsistencies among venous surveys and program statistics. The Committee s analyses in the following chapters demonstrate that the presence of an uninsured family member has the potential to affect the health and well-being of all the members of that family.
|
From page 29... ...
colt ~ ants ! Ha of An ~ ~ :: ~ ~ :~ ~y~P1-'-~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~:~:~:S::::::~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~ ~:~ {; I: ~ ~ 8~ also ~~I~ 41!
|
From page 30... ...
~ ~ ~ ~ s s ~ ~s ~ ~ ~: ~:~:~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~s~S~s~ :: : : s ~ The otbor co~rabo=, tested in tbo bo~om b~ of T~le 2. 1, ~o less Ukc~ to b~c thc oppo~u~ ~r d~ende~ cove~g~ ~bou~ tbey m~ ~ncdon mucb bee tbe ~ b~cd in the top b~ of tbe t~l~ T~s rem~ng onoqua~er of ~edcan ~es include people b~ng ~tb reladves other tban tbe~ o~n c~dren under age 18 and ~ose b~ng ~tb people o~er than leg~ recog~zed ~n.
|
From page 31... ...
The proportion of those insured increases as family income increases. Many married couples in late middle age fit this family category and are of particular interest because their health status tends to worsen as they age and the need for health care and insurance is greater.
|
From page 32... ...
Not included in this table are persons living alone and families with children as householder/reference person. SOURCE: March supplement to the 2001 Current Population Survey; see Appendix D
|
From page 33... ...
INSURANCE CO VERA GE OF FAMILIES ne 33 By Income Group Under 100% FPL 100-200% FPL >200% FPL Win Percentage Percentage Percentage fly (share of (share of (share of figuration Number row) Number row)
|
From page 34... ...
There are 7.5 million families (19 percent) with at least one family member lacking insurance and 31.1 million families (81 percent)
|
From page 35... ...
That is a better record than might be expected from Figure 2.2, which shows that only 32-44 percent of families at all income levels with both or one parents uninsured had all their children covered. In part, the better coverage of children in lower-income families compared with wealthier families reflects the eligibility limits of public coverage for children.
|
From page 36... ...
All Family Members Insured 22.4 million 85% N = 26.4 million All Uninsured 1.6 million 6% Mixed 2.4 million Other 49% Some Children Insured and No Parents Insured 5% FIGURE 2.4 Patterns of insurance coverage in two-parent families with children. Insured but Not Children 12% NOTES: Other: one parent covered; all, some, or no children covered.
|
From page 37... ...
Some of this gap between eligibility and enrollment has been attributed to sharp declines in Medicaid enrollment following federal welfare reform in 1996 (Kronebusch, 2001~. Other contributing factors include the administrative complexities of signing up for and maintaining public coverage and limited general knowledge about the programs.
|
From page 38... ...
SOURCE: See Appendix D Income Levels s Finding: Family insurance coverage is strongly and positively related to income.
|
From page 39... ...
Families with children and with earnings above 100 percent FPL fare better, with the proportion of insured members increasing as family income increases. Not until families incomes rise above the poverty level are parents likely to gain access to employment-based insurance, counteracting a slight decline in coverage as they lose their income-linked eligibility, while children may 2 Some Family Members · All Uninsured ~~ All Family Members Insured Uninsured 7ntn a)
|
From page 40... ...
In 33 states, adults lose their eligibility for public insurance when they earn more than 50 percent FPL. Nevertheless, having family income below half the poverty level does not ensure public coverage; 40 percent of families below that income level have uninsured parents and/or uninsured children (Lambrew, 2001b; Appendix D)
|
From page 41... ...
of Asian or Pacific Islander families. In contrast, all members Race/Ethnicity Black, Non-Hispanic N = 5.7 million Hispanic N _ 5.7 million Asian Pacific Islander N = 1.6 million White, Non-Hispanic N = 25.3 million Citizenship Citizen Head of Household N = 35.0 million Non-Citizen Head of Household N = 3.5 million o% 20% 40% · All Family Members Insured 1~ No Family Members Insured ~ Mixed Coverage 60% 80% 100% FIGURE 2.8 Insurance coverage within families with children, by race or ethnicity and .
|
From page 42... ...
Population groups that most often lack stable health insurance coverage and have relatively worse health status, including racial and ethnic minorities and lower-income adults, would stand to benefit most from increased levels of health insurance coverage (IOM, 2002a)
|
From page 43... ...
These issues are considered in Chapter 3 which contains an analysis of key transition points in the family life cycle that have a particular impact on whether the family maintains insurance coverage or not. The focus is on understanding the gaps in coverage just discussed.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.