Uninsured children and national health reform

Article Abstract:

Expanding Medicaid coverage and requiring employers to provide health insurance to their employees may be the best way to insure children. One-fourth of uninsured Americans are children. In 1991, almost nine million children were not covered by insurance, even though most had working parents. But 66% had working parents who had no insurance. Mandatory employer-provided insurance would reduce the number of uninsured children by 80%. If small businesses were exempted, the number of uninsured children would only be reduced by 40%. A government tax credit to subsidize premiums for family coverage would only reduce the number of uninsured children by 13% to 30%, precisely because so many employees are not covered by insurance. Expanding Medicaid benefits to children living below the poverty level would reduce the number of uninsured children by 30% to 50%. Ninety percent of uninsured children would be insured by combining employer-mandated insurance with expanded Medicaid coverage.

Social aspects

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Federalism and health system reform: prospects for state action

Article Abstract:

Individual states may require financial assistance from the federal government if they decide to provide universal health insurance coverage to their residents. Researchers used a simulation method to estimate the state income tax payments necessary to finance universal health insurance coverage. The per capita annual tax burden to provide such coverage ranged from $130 in states with about 10% of their residents uninsured to $230 in states with 21% of their residents uninsured. The Southeast and Southwest have the highest numbers of uninsured and many of their residents could not afford an increased tax burden.

Economic aspects, Finance, Health insurance

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Geographic Variation in Physician Visits for Uninsured Children: The Role of the Safety Net

Article Abstract:

The State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) may have different effects on different states. CHIP was passed by Congress as part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, and will extend health insurance coverage to many uninsured children. Researchers analyzed the impact of CHIP on 8,565 children in Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. About half were uninsured or covered by Medicaid. CHIP would increase annual doctor visits, but the increase ranged from 41% to 189% depending on the state.

Statistics, Medical care, Medical care utilization, Medical examination, Periodic health examinations

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