United States: Public Health Insurance for Parents
Parents have access to public health insurance coverage primarily through plans that target “families”, with significant variation by state in the types of plans that are available and in the eligibility criteria that parents must meet. Most family plans are funded through Medicaid, but a handful of states have waivers to use State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) funds to cover parents. In both cases, programs are funded through a combination of federal and state funds, with states establishing income eligibility limits and other key rules within federal parameters. [More detail...]
National Participant & Spending Data
Participants
Number of recipients
| Number of recipients (adults)1 | 11.5 million adults (FY 2001)2 |
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Benefit coverage
| Percent of adults without health insurance coverage3 | 20% (2004) |
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Spending
Total spending
| Total spending (state and federal)4 | $20.0 billion (FY 2001)2 |
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Data Notes and Sources
Data on Public Health Insurance for Parents were compiled by NCCP in March 2006. Some state policy decisions may have changed since these data were collected.
- Figure reflects "Medicaid Eligibles" (i.e., persons enrolled in Medicaid during the year, whether or not they received health care services), whose "Basis of Eligibility" is "Adult"; elderly and blind/disabled are not included. Most eligible adults are either pregnant women or parents (or other caretaker relatives) of Medicaid-eligible children, though a few states use waivers to extend coverage to childless adults. Data are based on states' eligibility and claims data submitted through the Medicaid Statistical Information System (MSIS) (for more information about Medicaid data sources, see http://www.cms.hhs.gov).
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Medicaid Statistical Information System (MSIS) data, personal email (received May 27, 2004).
- Figure reflects total for 49 states and the District of Columbia; data for Hawaii are not available.
- Figure reflects the percent of adults ages 18-64 who did not have health insurance coverage at any point during the year.
Current Population Survey, 2005 Annual Social and Economic Supplement, "2004 Health Insurance Coverage Tables" http://pubdb3.census.gov (accessed March 16, 2006).
- Figure reflects Medicaid payments for persons whose "Basis of Eligibility" is "Adult"; payments for elderly and blind/disabled are not included. Most eligible adults are either pregnant women or parents (or other caretaker relatives) of Medicaid-eligible children, though a few states use waivers to extend coverage to childless adults. Data are based on states' eligibility and claims data submitted through the Medicaid Statistical Information System (MSIS) (for more information about Medicaid data sources, see http://www.cms.hhs.gov).
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Medicaid Statistical Information System (MSIS) data, personal email (received May 27, 2004).
