According to recent figures published by The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, it has been shown that women are far more likely to obtain preventative, primary, or specialty services when they are covered by women’s health insurance. That’s good for nearly all women over 65 who are covered by Medicare, but nearly one-in-five women between 19 and 64 are not covered by women’s health insurance of any type.
It gets worse for younger, low-income, Black and especially Hispanic women; any and all are more prone to having no women’s health insurance. The results are that most of the 17-million uninsured adult women in the United States will typically receive sub-standard care or put off treatment, filling prescriptions, and seeking preventative care like Pap tests, mammograms and regular breast cancer screenings. Indeed, improving access to affordable women’s health insurance would reduce the thousands of uninsured women’s deaths every year.
Employer-Sponsored Coverage
Among those who can count themselves fortunate to have women’s health insurance coverage, are two-thirds who rely on employer-sponsored group plans. When broken down, the percentages are telling.
Among those who can count themselves fortunate to have women’s health insurance coverage, are two-thirds who rely on employer-sponsored group plans. When broken down, the percentages are telling.
* Women in families with at least one fulltime employee are far more likely to have women’s health insurance than not; that figure drops sharply if there are only part-time or unemployed family members.
* Women – who are generally more likely to work part-time, earn less money, and depend on a spouse’s coverage – are less likely to be eligible or be able to afford their employer’s health plan.
* Due to their dependence on their spouse’s coverage, women are consequently more likely to lose benefits as result of divorce or in the event of a spouse’s death. This also holds true when their spouse loses his job, drops his coverage, or can no longer afford to pay the premiums.
* Women’s health insurance costs are also more likely to lead to postponement prevent women from buying or coverage.
Medicaid
While nearly 15-million women aged 19-64 received Medicaid women’s health insurance in 2004, it is important to bear in mind that most low-income women, who are not pregnant, disabled, or over 65, can qualify for Medicaid coverage.
While nearly 15-million women aged 19-64 received Medicaid women’s health insurance in 2004, it is important to bear in mind that most low-income women, who are not pregnant, disabled, or over 65, can qualify for Medicaid coverage.
Still, about 75% of adults receiving Medicaid coverage are women and a disproportionate number of U.S. births (41%); nursing home costs (43%); and over 70% of all publicly-funded family-planning services, are paid for by Medicaid. Furthermore, over one-third of women 19-64 rate their general health and well-being as poor-to-fair compared to 10% covered under private women’s health insurance.
Individual Women’s Health Insurance
Individual women’s health insurance is by the least affordable option and due to the likely presence of presence of pre-existing conditions, women are often denied coverage. As a result only 6% of women have individual women’s health insurance policies.
Individual women’s health insurance is by the least affordable option and due to the likely presence of presence of pre-existing conditions, women are often denied coverage. As a result only 6% of women have individual women’s health insurance policies.
The Future Women’s Health Insurance
Moving forward, there is growing social and political pressure to cover the nearly 17-million women who don’t have women’s health insurance. Of all things that will need to be addressed is affordability, which affects lower income individuals who are more likely to be women. Efforts to offer low-income women affordable alternatives such as high-deductible policies coupled with tax-deductible health savings accounts has been met with slow acceptance.
Moving forward, there is growing social and political pressure to cover the nearly 17-million women who don’t have women’s health insurance. Of all things that will need to be addressed is affordability, which affects lower income individuals who are more likely to be women. Efforts to offer low-income women affordable alternatives such as high-deductible policies coupled with tax-deductible health savings accounts has been met with slow acceptance.
InsuranceUSA.com remains committed to providing its customers with up-to-date, accurate information about women’s health insurance options. Of course, any one of friendly customer service agents is only a phone call away if you have any questions or wish to request a free quote.