Stay Informed!

Health Care

There is no greater threat to a family’s financial security than the expenses of a major medical emergency or treatment of a chronic illness. Access to health care provides individuals and families with a safety net that complements and protects their asset ownership. Yet today, 45 million Americans do not have health insurance. While federal solutions are being debated, states also have and will continue to have a role in widening access to those who have trouble finding coverage.

State Policy Priorities

Access to Health Insurance

The majority of Americans receive health insurance coverage through their employers, but given the decrease in employer-sponsored insurance in the last decade, more families are at risk. In the 1960s, Medicaid was created to address the lack of insurance among low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities. In 1997, the federal government created the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to address the rising incidence of uninsured low-income children. States should expand eligibility for public programs, subsidize the costs of private insurance and mandate coverage extensions for those whose benefits would otherwise be terminated.

For more information, click here: Access to Health Insurance. Download the Access to Health Insurance Policy Brief here.