Health Insurance and Access to Medical Care (8.2)
Clients were asked whether they or anyone in their households had various kinds of health insurance. Clients also indicated whether they had unpaid medical or hospital bills and whether they had been refused medical care during the previous 12 months. Results are provided in Table 8.2.1.
Table 8.2.1
HEALTH INSURANCE AND ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE
|
Adult Clients Who Pick Up Food at a Pantry |
Adult Clients at a Kitchen |
Adult Clients at a Shelter |
Adult Clients at All Program Sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Client or his or her family with following types of health insurance a |
|
|
|
|
Medicare b |
39.7% |
27.5% |
13.3% |
35.9% |
State Medical Assistance Program or Medicaid |
48.2% |
39.0% |
28.6% |
45.3% |
State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) |
9.3% |
3.7% |
1.3% |
7.8% |
Veterans Administration (VA) benefits |
5.6% |
10.3% |
10.8% |
6.7% |
Private health insurance |
14.4% |
13.0% |
6.2% |
13.6% |
Other health insurance c |
7.9% |
8.7% |
6.9% |
8.0% |
No insurance |
17.4% |
28.8% |
46.9% |
21.4% |
|
|
|
|
|
Clients who had unpaid medical or hospital bills |
|
|
|
|
Yes |
41.8% |
38.2% |
45.3% |
41.4% |
No |
58.2% |
61.8% |
54.7% |
58.6% |
TOTAL |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
|
|
|
|
|
Clients who had been refused medical care because they could not pay or because they had a Medicaid or Medical Assistance card during the previous 12 months |
|
|
|
|
Yes |
9.2% |
10.2% |
9.1% |
9.4% |
No |
89.8% |
88.9% |
90.3% |
89.7% |
Not refused care, but avoid providers who don’t accept medical assistance |
0.3% |
0.5% |
0.3% |
0.4% |
Not refused care, but finding providers that accept medical assistance is a problem |
0.6% |
0.4% |
0.3% |
0.6% |
TOTAL |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
100.0% |
SAMPLE SIZE (N) |
37,986 |
10,667 |
4,225 |
52,878 |
Source:
This table was constructed based
on usable responses to questions 22a-f, 23, and 24 of the client
survey
.
Notes:
The percentages presented in this table are based only on
usable responses, excluding missing, don’t know, and refusal responses.
All usable responses were weighted as described in Chapter 3 and in the Technical Appendix
volume to represent all emergency food clients of the A2H National Network. The sample sizes (N) also include missing data.
For types of health insurance, missing, don’t know, and refusal responses combined are 1.3% for pantry clients, 1.6% for kitchen clients, 1.7% for shelter clients, and 1.4% for all clients.
For unpaid medical bills, missing, don’t know, and refusal responses combined are 2.7% for pantry clients, 2.8% for kitchen clients, 4.2% for shelter clients, and 2.8% for all clients.
For refused medical care, missing, don’t know, and refusal responses combined are 1.8% for pantry clients, 1.8% for kitchen clients, 2.5% for shelter clients, and 1.9% for all clients.
a Multiple responses were accepted.
b At the national level, the percentage of people who reported having Medicare coverage is substantially larger than what appears to be appropriate considering the percentage of households with seniors. One possible explanation for the discrepancy is widespread confusion between Medicare and Medicaid programs.
c This category includes government retirement benefits and military health system (TRICARE).
Findings presented in Table 8.2.1 include:
- 17.4% of the pantry, 28.8% of the kitchen, and 46.9% of the shelter clients or their households are without health insurance. This accounts for 21.4% of all clients.
- 41.4% of the clients have unpaid medical or hospital bills.
- 9.4% of the clients report that they have been refused medical care because they could not pay or because they had a Medicaid or Medical Assistance card during the previous 12 months.