Will uninsured people volunteer for voluntary health insurance? Experience from Washington State

American Journal of Public Health
Paula DiehrS M Skillman

Abstract

In national and local discussions of health care reform, there is disagreement about whether a national health insurance plan should be mandatory or voluntary. This study describes characteristics of low- income people who were more likely or less likely to be covered by a voluntary plan. Survey data were available from an evaluation of Washington State's Basic Health Plan, which offered subsidized health insurance to low-income residents. For those subjects who were eligible and uninsured at baseline, those who joined were compared with those who did not join on a variety of demographic and health-related characteristics. There were substantial differences between those who did and did not join the Basic Health Plan. Those who did not enroll were generally less well-off, with less education, lower income, and worse health. Many had never had health insurance. If health care reform results in a voluntary plan, additional measures may be needed to ensure that less advantaged citizens have adequate access to health care.

References

Jan 1, 1992·Health Affairs·G HoareC Madden

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Citations

Mar 13, 2002·Ambulatory Pediatrics : the Official Journal of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association·A KempeJ F Steiner
Jan 4, 2003·American Journal of Public Health·Dahlia K Remler, Sherry A Glied
Dec 14, 2002·Inquiry : a Journal of Medical Care Organization, Provision and Financing·Stephen H Long, M Susan Marquis
Sep 1, 2001·Inquiry : a Journal of Medical Care Organization, Provision and Financing·R E CurtisR Forland
Sep 1, 2001·Inquiry : a Journal of Medical Care Organization, Provision and Financing·K Swartz
Mar 21, 2012·The Milbank Quarterly·Katherine BaickerSendhil Mullainathan

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