Five Good Five Good ReasonsReasonsFor States toFor States to

Expand Family Expand Family CoverageCoverage

(Your Organization’s Name/Logo)

• We have a new opportunity

• Provide health coverage to uninsured parents

• States have choices

What We Can Accomplish

Who Are the Uninsured?

43 Million Americans Are Uninsured . . .

. . . and 8 out of 10 are in working families

Source: Census Bureau

Five Good Reasons to Cover Families

1. Working families can’t afford insurance

2. Supports families moving from welfare to work

3. Covering parents helps cover kids

4. Saves money and improves care

5. Federal government will help pay

1. Working Families Can’t Afford Insurance

• Insurance is expensive• Few of us could afford it by ourselves• Most of us get coverage through our employer

Privately Insured

91% get insurance through the workplace

Source: Census Bureau

Who Is Offered Coverage Through Work?

43%

93%

0%

10%20%30%40%

50%60%70%80%

90%100%

$7/hour or less $15/hour or more

Source: Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured

$0

$20

$40

$60

$80

$100

$120

$140

$7/hour or less $15/hour or more

How Much of the Premium Do Employees Pay?

$130

$84

$ $

Source: Center for Studying Health System Change

2. Support Families Moving from Welfare to Work• Low-wage jobs – probably no insurance

• Families lose Medicaid

• 49% of women leaving welfare are uninsured one year later

Source: Garrett and Holahan, Health Affairs, Jan/Feb 2000

(Your State’s Name)

Maximum Medicaid income = $ _______

Hours worked at minimum wage = _____

Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Medicaid

• Good benefits and nominal cost-sharing

• It’s run by the states

• Improved coverage of kids

• But states don’t cover most parents

3. Covering Parents Helps Kids

• More kids are likely to enroll

• Kids go to the doctor if their parents can, too

Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; Hanson, Inquiry 35.

4. Can Save Money and Improve Care

• Uninsured adults are:5 times more likely to go without care4 times more likely to use the emergency room

Source: Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, Weissman, JAMA, 1992

Who Pays Now?

• The uninsured themselves• Are charged more when they get care• Health care contributed to 500,000 personal

bankruptcies in 1999

• Others costs are passed on to the public—”cost shifting”

Source: Wielawski, Health Affairs, Sept/Oct 2000; Washington Post, April 25, 2000; National Bureau of Economic Research

Smarter Use of Health Care Dollars

When people get coverage• Some costs go down• Emergency room use is reduced• Cost shifting is reduced

Source: Rhode Island RIteCare

5. The Federal Government Will Help Pay

Federal government will pay

___% of cost

Source: Families USA

States That Have Expanded Family Coverage (As of May 2001)

16 states provide Medicaid to families who earn up to 100 percent of the federal poverty level or higher.

Implemented Expansions

Enacted ExpansionsSource: Families USA

California has implemented

(100% of poverty) and

enacted (200% of poverty) expansions

How Many (Name of State)Parents Can Be Helped?

If eligibility is raised to:

100% of Poverty = ________ parents

200% of Poverty = ________ parents

Source: Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; Census Bureau

• Your campaign’s name

• Name of a contact

• Phone number