Section 8.2.1

America's Second Harvest became Feeding America in 2008. This study was published prior to that name change in 2001.

8.2.1 - Health Insurance and Access to Medical Care

Clients were asked whether they or anyone in their households had various kinds of health insurance. Clients also indicated whether they had unpaid medical or hospital bills and whether they had been refused medical care during the previous 12 months. Results are provided in Table 8.2.1.

Table 8.2.1
HEALTH INSURANCE AND ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE

  Adult Clients Who Pick Up Food at a Pantry Adult Clients at a Kitchen Adult Clients at a Shelter Adult Clients at All Program Sites
Client or his or her family with following types of health insurance 1        
Medicare 2 34.5% 23.5% 13.7% 32.0%
State Medical Assistance Program or Medicaid 45.6% 33.3% 28.6% 43.1%
State Children's Health Insurance Program or SCHIP 6.1% 2.6% 1.1% 5.4%
Veterans Administration or VA benefits 5.1% 7.1% 11.2% 5.7%
Private health insurance 16.7% 12.1% 7.2% 15.6%
Other health insurance 3 6.5% 8.5% 6.1% 6.8%
No insurance 16.8% 32.5% 42.7% 20.2%
         
Clients who had unpaid medical or hospital bills        
Yes 38.0% 37.0% 42.1% 38.1%
No 62.0% 63.0% 57.9% 61.9%
TOTAL 100% 100% 100% 100%
         
Clients who had been refused medical care because they could not pay or because they had a Medicaid or Medical Assistance card during the previous 12 months        
Yes 8.2% 8.5% 10.1% 8.3%
No 89.5% 91.0% 89.7% 89.7%
Not refused care, but avoid providers who don't accept medical assistance 1.6% 0.2% 0.2% 1.3%
Not refused care, but finding providers that accept medical assistance is a problem 0.7% 0.3% 0.1% 0.6%
TOTAL 100% 100% 100% 100%
SAMPLE SIZE (N) 24,436 5,441 2,882 32,759

Source
This table was constructed based on usable responses to Questions 22a-f, 23, and 24 of the client survey.

Notes
The percentage of people who reported having Medicare coverage is substantially larger than what appears to be appropriate considering the percentage of households with seniors. One possible explanation for the discrepancy is widespread confusion between Medicare and Medicaid programs.

This includes Medi-Cruz, a health insurance offered by Santa Cruz County, California, to the indigent ineligible for Medicaid.

The percentages presented in this table are based only on usable responses, excluding missing, don't know, and refusal responses. All usable responses were weighted as described in Chapter 3 and in the Technical Appendix volume to represent all emergency food clients of the A2H network. The sample sizes (N) also include missing data.

For types of health insurance, missing, don't know, and refusal responses combined are 2.6% for pantry clients, 2.3% for kitchen clients, 1.4% for shelter clients, and 2.5% for all clients.

For unpaid medical bills, missing, don't know, and refusal responses combined are 3.0% for pantry clients, 3.3% for kitchen clients, 4.4% for shelter clients, and 3.1% for all clients.

For refused medical care, missing, don't know, and refusal responses combined are 2.3% for pantry clients, 1.8% for kitchen clients, 0.3% for shelter clients, and 2.1% for all clients.

 

1. Multiple responses were accepted.

2. The percentage of people who reported having Medicare coverage is substantially larger than what appears to be appropriate considering the percentage of households with seniors. One possible explanation for the discrepancy is widespread confusion between Medicare and Medicaid programs.

3. This includes Medi-Cruz, a health insurance offered by Santa Cruz County, California, to the indigent ineligible for Medicaid.

Findings presented in Table 8.2.1 include:

  • 16.8% of the pantry, 32.5% of the kitchen, and 42.7% of the shelter clients or their households are without health insurance. This accounts for 20.2% of all clients.
  • 38.1% of the clients have unpaid medical or hospital bills.
  • 8.3% of the clients report that they have been refused medical care because they could not pay or because they had a Medicaid or Medical Assistance card during the previous 12 months.

Source
This table was constructed based on usable responses to Questions 22a-f, 23, and 24 of the client survey.

Notes
The percentage of people who reported having Medicare coverage is substantially larger than what appears to be appropriate considering the percentage of households with seniors. One possible explanation for the discrepancy is widespread confusion between Medicare and Medicaid programs.

This includes Medi-Cruz, a health insurance offered by Santa Cruz County, California, to the indigent ineligible for Medicaid.

The percentages presented in this table are based only on usable responses, excluding missing, don't know, and refusal responses. All usable responses were weighted as described in Chapter 3 and in the Technical Appendix volume to represent all emergency food clients of the A2H network. The sample sizes (N) also include missing data.

For types of health insurance, missing, don't know, and refusal responses combined are 2.6% for pantry clients, 2.3% for kitchen clients, 1.4% for shelter clients, and 2.5% for all clients.

For unpaid medical bills, missing, don't know, and refusal responses combined are 3.0% for pantry clients, 3.3% for kitchen clients, 4.4% for shelter clients, and 3.1% for all clients.

For refused medical care, missing, don't know, and refusal responses combined are 2.3% for pantry clients, 1.8% for kitchen clients, 0.3% for shelter clients, and 2.1% for all clients.