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PubMed1996

Health care access among Mexican Americans with different health insurance coverage.

This study describes the rates of health care access among Mexican Americans with different health insurance coverage. An interview questionnaire was used to collect information regarding sociodemographics, perceived health status, health insurance coverage, and sources of health care from a random sample of 501 Mexican Americans from San Antonio, Texas. Health care access was determined more by having health insurance coverage than by health care needs. Poor Mexican Americans with health insurance had higher health care access rates than did poor Mexican Americans without health insurance. Health care access may improve health care outcomes, but more comprehensive community-based campaigns to promote health and better use of health services in underprivileged populations should be developed.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

The association between health insurance coverage and diabetes care; data from the 2000 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the association between type of health insurance coverage and the quality of care provided to individuals with diabetes in the United States. DATA SOURCE: The 2000 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. STUDY DESIGN: Our study cohort included individuals who reported a diagnosis of diabetes (n=11,647). We performed bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses by age greater or less than 65 years to examine the association of health insurance coverage with diabetes-specific quality of care measures, controlling for the effects of race/ethnicity, annual income, gender, education, and insulin use. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Most individuals with diabetes are covered by private insurance (39 percent) or Medicare (44 percent). Among persons under the age of 65 years, 11 percent were uninsured. The uninsured were more likely to be African American or Hispanic and report low incomes. The uninsured were less likely to report annual dilated eye exams, foot examinations, or hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) tests and less likely to perform daily blood glucose monitoring than those with private health insurance. We found few differences in quality indicators between Medicare, Medicaid, or the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as compared with private insurance coverage. Persons who received care through the VA were more likely to report taking a diabetes education class and HbA1c testing than those covered by private insurance. CONCLUSIONS: Uninsured adults with diabetes are predominantly minority and low income and receive fewer preventive services than individuals with health insurance. Among the insured, different types of health insurance coverage appear to provide similar levels of care, except for higher rates of diabetes education and HbA1c testing at the VA.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Gender impacts on health insurance coverage: findings for unmarried full-time employees.

Probit regression is applied to a sample of fully employed unmarried respondents from the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey to determine the likelihood of private health insurance vs. no insurance coverage. Gender-related employment segregation is a strong indicator for insurance coverage, since those in male-dominated industries are more likely to have coverage. The strong impact of unions and number of plans offered on insurance coverage suggests that insurance purchasing cooperatives and managed competition may increase availability of affordable coverage, thus alleviating some of the financial barriers to health care.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

The effects of child-only insurance coverage and family coverage on health care access and use: recent findings among low-income children in California.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the extent with which child-only and family coverage (child and parent insured) ensure health care access and use for low income children in California and discuss the policy implications of extending the State Children's Health Insurance Program (California's Healthy Families) to uninsured parents of child enrollees. DATA SOURCES/SETTING: We used secondary data from the 2001 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), a representative telephone survey. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 5,521 public health insurance-eligible children and adolescents and their parents to examine the effects of insurance (family coverage, child-only coverage, and no coverage) on measures of health care access and utilization including emergency room visits and hospitalizations. DATA COLLECTION: We linked the CHIS adult, child, and adolescent datasets, including the adolescent insurance supplement. FINDINGS: Among the sampled children, 13 percent were uninsured as were 22 percent of their parents. Children without insurance coverage were more likely than children with child-only coverage to lack a usual source of care and to have decreased use of health care. Children with child-only coverage fared worse than those with family coverage on almost every access indicator, but service utilization was comparable. CONCLUSIONS: While extending public benefits to parents of children eligible for Healthy Families may not improve child health care utilization beyond the gains that would be obtained by exclusively insuring the children, family coverage would likely improve access to a regular source of care and private sector providers, and reduce perceived discrimination and breaks in coverage. These advantages should be considered by states that are weighing the benefits of expanding health insurance to parents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Children's health insurance coverage and family structure, 1977-1996.

Using data from a series of nationally representative medical expenditure surveys, the authors document changes in children's health insurance coverage in a period of two decades. Overall, it is found that the proportion of children with private coverage declined, while the proportions publicly insured and uninsured increased. However, when the authors account for differences in family structure, they find striking disparities in children's insurance experiences. Contrary to overall trends, children in single-parent households made significant gains in private health insurance coverage after 1997 and experienced reductions in public insurance. Coincident with Medicaid expansions in the late 1980s, children in two-parent households experienced significant increases in public health insurance. It is found that the rise in the proportion of children who were uninsured in this period was largely a single-parent family phenomenon, and that parents' marital status, employment status, and family income are crucial factors associated with children's insurance status.

Child↗
PubMed2003

Cancer survival in Kentucky and health insurance coverage.

BACKGROUND: Access to health insurance influences the amount and quality of health care received, which in turn is likely to be related to survival. Few studies have systematically examined cancer survival by individual level health insurance data from a state population-based cancer registry for 4 anatomic sites. METHODS: Men and women aged 18 to 99 years who were registered from 1995 to 1998 with the Kentucky Cancer Registry, Lexington, with colorectal, lung, breast, or prostate cancer were followed up through 1999. Three-year crude and relative survival proportion by 7 health insurance categories and by sex for all 4 sites were calculated. Poisson regression was used to model the risk of death (controlling for age group at diagnosis, sex, race, stage at diagnosis, and treatment) relative to expected deaths in the general population from all 4 cancers by health insurance category. RESULTS: Among patients with prostate cancer, 3-year relative survival proportion was 98% for the privately insured and 83% for the uninsured; comparable figures were 91% and 78% for patients with breast cancer; 71% and 53% for patients with colorectal cancer; and 23% and 13% for patients with lung cancer. For all 4 cancers the uninsured ranked fifth or sixth on survival, above patients with unknown insurance type or Medicaid/welfare. CONCLUSION: These findings confirm purported disparities in cancer care and point toward the need to make quality care accessible to all segments of the population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Meeting the need for state-level estimates of health insurance coverage: use of State and Federal survey data.

OBJECTIVE: Critically review estimates of health insurance coverage available from different sources, including the federal government, state survey initiatives, and foundation-sponsored surveys for use in state policy research. STUDY SETTING AND DESIGN: We review the surveys in an attempt to flesh out the current weaknesses of survey data for state policy uses. The main data sources assessed in this analysis are federal government surveys (such as the Current Population Survey's Annual Social and Economic Supplement, and the National Health Interview Survey), foundation-supported surveys (National Survey of America's Families, and the Community Tracking Survey), and state-sponsored surveys. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Despite information on estimates of health insurance coverage from six federal surveys, states find the data lacking for state policy purposes. We document the need for state representative data on the uninsured and the recent history of state data collection efforts spurred in part by the Health Resources Services Administration State Planning Grant program. We assess the state estimates of uninsurance from the Current Population Survey and make recommendations for a new consolidated federal survey with better state representative data. CONCLUSIONS: We think there are several options to consider for coordinating a federal and state data collection strategy to inform state and national policy on coverage and access.

Data Collection↗
PubMed2001

A critical review of the arguments for insurance coverage for smoking-cessation therapies.

This article elucidates the reasons most insurance companies do not cover smoking-cessation therapies despite their obvious benefits. It critically reviews the arguments for and against using a universal mandate as a strategy to increase use of smoking-cessation programs to realize the associated health benefits and cost-savings. While convincing arguments exist to mandate insurance coverage for self-destructive health behaviors, their merit is tempered by several valid counter arguments. For example, insurance coverage for small, routine, and predictable events, such as smoking-cessation treatment, violates the "first principles" of what ought to be covered when considered from the traditional insurance perspective. An insurance solution to risky behaviors may be to make undesirable behaviors more undesirable to individuals by raising premiums rather than to make them less undesirable with subsidies.

Cost Savings↗
PubMed1999

Racial and ethnic differences in health insurance coverage for adults with diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the extent and types of health insurance coverage in a representative sample of adults with diabetes in the U.S. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey included national samples of non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, and Mexican-Americans aged > or = 20 years. Information on medical history and treatment of diabetes was obtained to determine subjects who had been diagnosed with diabetes by a physician before the survey (n = 1,503) and subjects without diagnosed diabetes (n = 17,319). Information on health insurance coverage was obtained via a structured questionnaire for 96% of participants. RESULTS: A total of 93% of all adults with diabetes had some form of health insurance. Of these subjects, 73% had private insurance, 48% had Medicare coverage, 15% had Medicaid coverage, and 5% had Champus/Veterans Affairs coverage. Approximately 52% of adults with diabetes had multiple types of health insurance, and 54% had health care coverage through one or more government-sponsored programs. A greater proportion of non-Hispanic whites (91%) and non-Hispanic blacks (89%) than Mexican-Americans (66%) had health insurance among subjects aged 20-64 years. For those aged > or = 65 years, coverage was virtually 100% for all racial and ethnic groups. Non-Hispanic whites had the highest rate of coverage through private insurance (81%), with non-Hispanic blacks having an intermediate rate (56%) and Mexican-Americans having the lowest rate (45%). Rates of coverage were similar for adults with and without diabetes in each racial and ethnic group for any type of insurance and for private insurance. CONCLUSIONS: There are marked racial and ethnic differences in health insurance coverage for adults with diabetes, although these differences are similar to those for adults without diabetes. Whether these racial and ethnic disparities influence access to care, quality of care, or health outcomes for people with diabetes remains to be determined.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Differences in hospital resource allocation among sick newborns according to insurance coverage.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether newborns' insurance coverage was associated with differences in the allocation of hospital services. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of computerized hospital discharge data, comparing resource allocation among newborns according to insurance status, controlling for race/ethnicity, diagnoses, hospital characteristics (ownership, teaching status, nursery level), and disposition. SETTING: All California civilian acute-care hospitals. PATIENTS: Population-based sample, excluding out-of-hospital and military hospital births. Resource allocation was studied among all newborns discharged in 1987 with evidence of serious problems (N = 29,751). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Length of stay, total charges, and charges per day. RESULTS: Sick newborns without insurance received fewer inpatient services than comparable privately insured newborns with either indemnity or prepaid coverage. This pattern was observed across all hospital ownership types. Mean stay was 15.7 days for all privately insured newborns (15.6 days for those with indemnity and 15.7 days for those with prepaid coverage), 14.8 days for Medicaid-covered newborns, and 13.2 days for uninsured newborns (P less than .001). Length of stay, total charges, and charges per day were 16%, 28%, and 10% less, respectively, for the uninsured than for all privately insured newborns (P less than .001). Resources for newborns covered by Medicaid were generally greater than for the uninsured and less than for the privately insured. Both uninsured and Medicaid-covered newborns were found to have more severe medical problems than the privately insured. CONCLUSIONS: The findings cannot be explained by differences in medical need or by differences in non-medically indicated services; they constitute prima facie evidence of inequities that need to be addressed by policy changes.

California↗
PubMed1987

Changing patterns of health insurance coverage: special concerns for women.

Health care expenditures and utilization have increased dramatically in recent years, but gaps in health insurance coverage restrict access to care for a growing portion of the population. Women are especially vulnerable given the structure of insurance coverage and demographic factors. The erosion of insurance coverage can be attributed to several trends, particularly employer cost containment strategies, restricted public program eligibility and changes in the characteristics of the work force. Numerous measures have been adopted at the federal and state levels to maintain or expand coverage on an incremental basis. As broader segments of the population suffer reduction or loss of coverage, a comprehensive approach will be necessary to ensure universal access to health care.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Health insurance coverage of the unemployed: COBRA and the potential effects of Kassebaum-Kennedy.

We use the April 1993 Current Population Survey to examine the health insurance coverage decisions of the unemployed and to simulate the potential effects of the new Kassebaum-Kennedy legislation. After controlling for demographic characteristics, COBRA eligibility raises the probability of health insurance coverage by 0.095, while eligibility for spouse employer insurance increases the likelihood of coverage by 0.318, and eligibility for both increases the likelihood of coverage by 0.341. In our simulations, we find that had Kassebaum-Kennedy been in effect in April 1993, 9.0 percent of the unemployed would be eligible to take up coverage, and the coverage rate of the unemployed would have been increased by 0.85 percent to 1.5 percent from 41.6 percent. Our estimates of the effect of Kassebaum-Kennedy on health insurance coverage are much lower than those reported by the Government Accounting Office prior to the passage of the legislation.

Eligibility Determination↗
PubMed2004

Expanding insurance coverage through tax credits, consumer choice, and market enhancements: the American Medical Association proposal for health insurance reform.

Recent reports showing an increase in the number of uninsured individuals in the United States have given heightened attention to increasing health insurance coverage. The American Medical Association (AMA) has proposed a system of tax credits for the purchase of individually owned health insurance and enhancements to individual and group health insurance markets as a means of expanding coverage. Individually owned insurance would enable people to maintain coverage without disruption to existing patient-physician relationships, regardless of changes in employers or in work status. The AMA's plan would empower individuals to choose their health plan and give patients and their physicians more control over health care choices. Employers could continue to offer employment-based coverage, but employees would not be limited to the health plans offered by their employer. With a tax credit large enough to make coverage affordable and the ability to choose their own coverage, consumers would dramatically transform the individual and group health insurance markets. Health insurers would respond to the demands of individual consumers and be more cautious about increasing premiums. Insurers would also tailor benefit packages and develop new forms of coverage to better match the preferences of individuals and families. The AMA supports the development of new health insurance markets through legislative and regulatory changes to foster a wider array of high-quality, affordable plans.

American Medical Association↗
PubMed2003

Intermittent lack of health insurance coverage and use of preventive services.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the association between intermittent lack of health insurance coverage and use of preventive health services. METHODS: Analyses focused on longitudinal data on insurance status and preventive service use among a national sample of US adults who participated in the Health and Retirement Study. RESULTS: Findings showed that, among individuals who obtain insurance coverage after histories of intermittent coverage, relatively long periods may be necessary to reestablish clinically appropriate care patterns. Increasing periods of noncoverage led to successively lower rates of use of most preventive services. CONCLUSIONS: Intermittent lack of insurance coverage-even across a relatively long period-results in less use of preventive services. Studies that examine only current insurance status may underestimate the population at risk from being uninsured.

Episode of Care↗
PubMed2003

Does insurance coverage decrease the risk for multiple births associated with assisted reproductive technology?

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether insurance coverage for ART is associated with transfer of fewer embryos and decreased risk of multiple births. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of a population-based sample of IVF procedures performed in six U.S. states during 1998. SETTING: Three states with mandated insurance coverage (Illinois, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island) and three states without coverage (Indiana, Michigan, and New Jersey). PARTICIPANT(S): Seven thousand, five hundred sixty-one IVF transfer procedures in patients < or = 35 years of age. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Number of embryos transferred, multiple-birth rate, triplet or higher order birth rate, and triplet or higher order gestation rate. RESULT(S): A smaller proportion of procedures included transfer of three or more embryos in Massachusetts (64%) and Rhode Island (74%) than in the noninsurance states (82%). The multiple-birth rate in Massachusetts (38%) was less than in the noninsurance states (43%). The insurance states all had protective odds ratios for triplet or higher order births, but only the odds ratio (0.2) for Massachusetts was significant. This decreased risk in Massachusetts resulted from several factors, including a smaller proportion of patients with three or more embryos transferred, lower implantation rates when three or more embryos were transferred, and greater rates of fetal loss among triplet or higher order gestations. CONCLUSION(S): Insurance appears to affect embryo transfer practices. Whether this translates into decreased multiple birth risk is less clear.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Insurance coverage, medical conditions, and visits to alternative medicine providers: results of a national survey.

BACKGROUND: In 1997, patients made an estimated 629 million visits to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) providers; however, little is known about factors associated with visits to CAM providers. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of insurance coverage on frequency of use of CAM providers. METHODS: We conducted a nationally representative, random household telephone survey of 2055 adults. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The number of visits made to CAM providers. RESULTS: An estimated 44% of the US population used at least 1 CAM therapy in 1997. Of those using CAM, 52% had seen at least 1 CAM provider in the last year. Among those who used a CAM therapy, factors independently associated with seeing a provider were having been in the upper quartile of visits to conventional providers in the last year (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.33-3.01), female sex (AOR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.17-2.38), and having used the therapy to treat diabetes (AOR, 5.20; 95% CI, 1.40-19.40), cancer (AOR, 2.99; 95% CI, 1.04-8.62), or back or neck problems (AOR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.02-2.23). Factors independently associated with frequent use (. or = 8 visits per year) of a CAM provider were full insurance coverage of the CAM provider (AOR, 5.06; 95% CI, 2.45-10.47), partial insurance coverage (AOR, 3.26; 95% CI, 1.72-6.19), having used the therapy for wellness (AOR, 2.85; 95% CI, 1.63-4.98), and having seen the provider for back or neck problems (AOR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.29-3.94). Conservative extrapolation to national estimates suggests that 8.9% of the population (17.5 million adults) accounted for more than 75% of the 629 million visits made to CAM providers in 1997. CONCLUSIONS: A small minority of persons accounted for more than 75% of visits to CAM providers. Extent of insurance coverage for CAM providers and use for wellness are strong correlates of frequent use of CAM providers.

Adult↗