Access to Health Insurance
Washington Health Legislative Conference
At the December 4, 2001 Washington Health Legislative Conference, the State Planning Grant team facilitated an informational and interactive session "The State Planning Grant on Access: Can We Talk?" Goals, progress and findings to date were briefly shared, then the session focused on an interactive exercise and discussion of tradeoffs and criteria for setting priorities as we think about ways to improve access to health insurance for all Washingtonians. Further information on the conference is available at the HPAP conference web site.
Informational handouts
- December 2001 - Overview of the State Planning Grant: This overview ties components of the research with the reasons why coverage matters.
- Washington's success story - declining uninsurance rates
- Preliminary profiles of Washington's uninsured population
- Washington's sources of insurance coverage
Interactive Discussion
- Guidelines for the interactive exercise
- Summary of interactive discussion
A preliminary workshop of self-selected stakeholders – 30 total – discussed the targeting of tradeoffs and potential priorities as part of an annual health policy conference.
Five discussion groups were provided a brief overview of Washington's uninsured, and a discussion guide with specific questions on high priority groups, criteria to be used, and most viable options to serve priority groups.
Similar themes arose from the five groups, including their interest in financial information to guide the tradeoffs, and a general agreement or interest in looking for the "biggest bang for the buck" – covering the most people was perceived by many to provide this, while one group noted return on investment also meant focusing on prevention and avoiding future illness costs to the system. When brought together, the five groups began focusing priorities on the largest demographic group of uninsured (19-34 year olds); the working uninsured; indigent; and all children. The group began to endorse a consensus that there were no magic bullets - in the absence of a more systemic approach to providing health care access, a variety of approaches would need to be patched together.
Interactive Conference Survey Highlights
As part of the same health conference, a brief online survey of the conference attendees netted some preliminary feedback on viable strategies. Questions pertaining to the grant and the top three survey responses are described below, as indicated by the percentage of respondents who selected the option.
Q12: In terms of improving access to health insurance, which reform proposals would be the most effective?
- Create program of universal coverage for catastrophic or preventive care
44.0% - Reform the insurance market
16.1% - Broaden existing public program eligibility and/or financing
12.8%
Q13: Which proposals would be the most politically viable?
- Provide new financial incentives for employers to help employees
22.7% - Provide new financial incentives for individuals/families to purchase
plans
18.7% - Encourage development of new or miximize existing purchasing pools
18.0%
Q14: Which segments of the uninsured population should be targeted for help?
- All segments should be treated equally
34.1% - Individuals working in low wage industries
30.1% - Low income children
30.1%
A more comprehensive Summary of Survey Results is also available here, and the full survey is available at the University of Washington, Health Policy Analysis Program (HPAP) conference Web site.
Funded by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration’s Bureau of Professions State Planning Grant #1 P09 OA 00002-01
