Brief Uninsurance among Parents, 1997–2014: Long-Term Trends and Recent Patterns
Michael Karpman, Jason Gates, Stacey McMorrow, Genevieve M. Kenney
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This brief uses data from the National Health Interview Survey to explore trends in health insurance coverage for parents living with dependent children between 1997 and 2014. We provide estimates of uninsurance among custodial parents overall and by income. We also explore differences in health care access, service use, and health care affordability between insured parents and the remaining uninsured as of 2014, changes in the characteristics of uninsured parents between 2013 and 2014, and uninsurance rates for various subgroups of parents in 2013 and 2014. We find that between 2013 and 2014, 2.6 million parents gained coverage, but more than 11 million parents remained uninsured in 2014. Parents who reported in 2014 that they were uninsured for the previous year reported greater problems with access and affordability and less service use than parents who were insured for the previous year.
Research Areas Health and health care Children and youth
Tags Health insurance Federal health care reform Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program  Private insurance Children's health and development Maternal, child, and reproductive health
Policy Centers Health Policy Center