Health Policy Center Authors

Publications by Jennifer Pelletier for Health Policy Center

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State buy-in programs are designed to address coverage shortfalls among moderate- and higher-income children whose families are not eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP but who cannot afford, or do not have access to, private coverage. These programs allow families to buy their children into a comprehensive public insurance plan with low out-of-pocket cost sharing at an unsubsidized premium. As more states aim to achieve universal coverage for children, buy-in programs may be one component they consider in their plans to reach that goal. This brief explores some issues for states to consider before implementing a buy-in program.

This brief is the latest in a series using data from the 2005 Kaiser Low-Income Coverage and Access Survey to examine health coverage, access, and financial burdens associated with health care for young adults ages 19 to 29 in low-income families. The findings demonstrate that many low-income uninsured young adults experience problems gaining access to needed health care, with adverse consequences for both their health and financial well-being.

The ability of employed parents to meet the health needs of their children may depend on their access to sick leave, especially for low-income workers. By examining access to paid sick leave and paid vacation using the 2003-2004 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, the authors find that low-income families are less likely to have access to paid leave, especially if the family lacks a full-time/full-year worker. Among children whose parents have access to paid sick leave, parents are more likely to take time away from work to care for themselves or others.

This brief examines the dental access problems experienced by adults ages 19 to 64 in families with incomes at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) using the 2005 Kaiser Low-Income Coverage and Access Survey. This report finds that both dental coverage and access to care are limited for low-income adults and that even low-income adults with dental coverage are not getting sufficient levels of needed dental care.

In July 2007, bills to reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program were passed in both the House and the Senate. One question that has been raised is how well the bills target low-income children. In this brief, Genevieve Kenney and colleagues estimate that the proportion of children below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) covered by the bills is 70% or higher. The share of uninsured children below 200 percent of the FPL who would gain coverage is estimated to be even higher (78 to 85 percent).

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