Research by Author & Topic

Publications by Genevieve M. Kenney on Household Surveys

This Health Services Research article by Genevieve Kenney, John Holahan, and Len Nichols investigates the extent to which federal surveys that are regularly used to provide information on health insurance coverage and access to care contain the needed data elements to accurately assess alternative policy options to address the problem of uninsurance. The authors conclude that existing surveys have major data gaps and suggest possible solutions. For example, the content of the Current Population Survey could be modified to deal with current shortcomings in the measurement of insurance coverage. (Health Services Research 41(3): 918-945, 2006.)

Data from the 2002 National Survey of America's Families shows that insurance coverage increased 7 percentage points for children in mixed-status families between 1999 and 2002. In 2002, 22 percent of children in mixed-status families lacked health insurance compared with 12 percent of children with citizen parents. Medicaid and SCHIP coverage increased 12 percentage points for children in mixed-status families.

Data from the third round of the National Survey of America's Families show that between 1999 and 2002, the number of uninsured children under age 19 fell from 9.6 to 7.8 million. The uninsurance rate among low-income children declined by nearly six percentage points. Regardless of family income, uninsurance rates among black and Hispanic children declined by more than four percentage points each. Receipt of well-child care, office visits, and dental care by low-income children increased by 3.5 percentage points, 4.5 percentage points, and 2.1 percentage points respectively. More than 4 million uninsured children appear eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP.

Data from the third round of the National Survey of America's Families show that between 1999 and 2002, the share of low-income uninsured children whose parents had heard of their state's separate SCHIP program increased from 47.2 to 70.6 percent. Among families familiar with Medicaid or SCHIP, 81.7 percent of low-income uninsured children had parents who said they would enroll their child if told the child was eligible.