Monday, September 28, 2009
Health insurance coverage is a critical factor in making health care reachable to women. Women with health coverage are more likely to obtain needed preventive, primary, and specialty care services, and have better access to many of the new advances in womens health. Among the 94 million women ages 18 to 64, most have some form of coverage.
Nevertheless, the patchwork of different private sector and publicly-funded programs in the U.S. leaves nearly one in five non-elderly women uninsured. Nearly all women 65 and older are covered by Medicare, the national health coverage program for seniors and some people with disabilities.
Outlook for the Future
Addressing Affordability: The steady growth in health costs has had an inconsistent effect on women because of their lower incomes and greater need for health care services throughout their lives. While the rate of growth in health care premiums has slowed in the past year, they have more than doubled since 1999, compared to only a 34% rise in wages during the same period.
There has been rising interest among some policymakers and employers in using consumer-driven health care models to control spending. These plans with high deductibles are often used in conjunction with a tax preferred savings account. In the public sector, states have more flexibility over costs and benefits in Medicaid, but so far, only a few states have taken up these options and the impact on womens access to care is unclear.
Nevertheless, the patchwork of different private sector and publicly-funded programs in the U.S. leaves nearly one in five non-elderly women uninsured. Nearly all women 65 and older are covered by Medicare, the national health coverage program for seniors and some people with disabilities.
Outlook for the Future
Addressing Affordability: The steady growth in health costs has had an inconsistent effect on women because of their lower incomes and greater need for health care services throughout their lives. While the rate of growth in health care premiums has slowed in the past year, they have more than doubled since 1999, compared to only a 34% rise in wages during the same period.
There has been rising interest among some policymakers and employers in using consumer-driven health care models to control spending. These plans with high deductibles are often used in conjunction with a tax preferred savings account. In the public sector, states have more flexibility over costs and benefits in Medicaid, but so far, only a few states have taken up these options and the impact on womens access to care is unclear.
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