One in four people who lack health coverage in the United States are eligible for public insurance programs but are not enrolled due to barriers that make it difficult, says a new report released April 29 by the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation (NIHCM), a Washington-based think tank. About 12 million people (half of whom are children) are reachable by Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) but fail to enroll because they are not aware these programs exist, do not know how to enroll, or fear being linked with a publicly financed program. It can also be difficult for them to stay enrolled.
The report emphasizes that any solutions will need to expand access to public programs or otherwise subsidize coverage for low-income people to make any real difference.
The 20-page report, Understanding the Uninsured: Tailoring Policy Solutions for Different Subpopulations, segments the uninsured according to their eligibility for public programs, income, and whether they are a child, a parent, or a childless adult. Using 2006 data from the 2007 Current Population Survey, researchers describe a range of policy options to extend coverage to these groups, as well as options for reaching uninsured young adults and older adults who are not yet eligible for Medicare. Read the report.
