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Off the Charts Blog: In Case You Missed It...
May 24, 2013
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Policy Basics: Introduction to Medicaid
Updated May 8, 2013
What Is Medicaid? Created by Congress in 1965, Medicaid is a public insurance program that provides health coverage to low-income families and individuals, including children, parents, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities. Medicaid is funded jointly by the federal government and … -
Making Health Care More Affordable: The New Premium and Cost-Sharing Assistance
Updated April 3, 2013
Under the new health reform law, people of modest means will get help paying for health insurance premiums and “cost-sharing” expenses — costs that people with insurance have to pay out-of-pocket like co-payments for doctor visits and hospital care — beginning in 2014. This help will come in the form of … -
Testimony of Robert Greenstein, President, Before Senate Budget Committee
February 13, 2013
I appreciate the invitation to testify today on the impact of federal budget decisions on families and communities. This is an important matter. As you know, the nation will have to make tough decisions to put the budget on a more sustainable fiscal course. The issue is not only whether policymakers act to secure adequate … -
Are Low-Income Programs Enlarging the Nation’s Long-Term Fiscal Problem?
Revised November 2, 2012
Several conservative analysts and some journalists lately have cited figures showing substantial growth in recent years in the cost of federal programs for low-income Americans. A recent report the Congressional Research Service prepared for Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) provides one such set of figures.[1] These figures can create … -
Romney Budget Proposals Would Necessitate Very Large Cuts in Medicaid, Education, Health Research and Other Programs
Updated September 24, 2012
Governor Mitt Romney’s proposals to cap total federal spending at 20 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and boost defense spending to 4 percent of GDP would require very large cuts in other programs, both entitlements and discretionary programs. This update of an earlier analysis is based on updated economic and budget … -
Uninsured Rate Fell or Held Steady in Almost Every State Last Year, New Census Data Show
September 21, 2012
The share of residents without health coverage fell in 20 states last year, Census data released yesterday show, while rising in just one. This improvement largely reflect increased private coverage among young adults — helped by a health reform provision allowing them to stay on their parents’ insurance plans until age 26 … -
2011’s Decline in Uninsured is Largest in 13 Years, but Median Income Fell, Inequality Widened, and Poverty Stayed Flat
September 17, 2012
The Census Bureau last week released a mixed set of data about poverty, income, and health insurance coverage in 2011.[1] On the positive side, the number of Americans without health insurance dropped by 1.3 million and the share of uninsured Americans fell by more than in any year since 1999. Young adults took advantage of a … -
Number of Uninsured Fell in 2011, Largely Due to Health Reform and Public Programs
September 13, 2012
The Census Bureau announced yesterday that, in 2011, the number of uninsured Americans fell for the first time in four years, and the percentage of Americans without health insurance experienced the largest single-year drop since 1999. The Census data suggest that health reform and other federal policies are responsible for a significant … -
Statement of Robert Greenstein, President, on Census’ 2011 Poverty, Income, and Health Insurance Data
September 12, 2012
Today’s Census data contained the good, the fair, and the ugly. The good news is that the number of uninsured Americans dropped by 1.3 million and the share of Americans without insurance fell by more than in any year since 1999; the fair news is that the poverty rate stayed flat after … -
Media Briefing: Examining the 2011 Census Data on Poverty, Health Insurance Coverage, and Income
September 12, 2012
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities held a conference call briefing to examine the Census Bureau data for 2011 on poverty, health insurance coverage, and income trends.
Robert Greenstein, the Center’s President, was joined by Jared Bernstein, Senior Fellow, to discuss the new data.
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The Census Bureau’s Upcoming Report on Health Insurance Coverage in 2011: What to Watch For
September 10, 2012
On September 12, the Census Bureau will release estimates of the number of Americans with and without health insurance coverage in 2011, based on its annual Current Population Survey. Other survey data and historical trends provide clues as to what the Census data are likely to show. Preliminary data from the Centers for Disease … -
Health Reform Law Makes Clear That Subsidies Will Be Available in States with Federally Operated Exchanges
July 16, 2012
Some health reform opponents claim that the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) premium tax credits to help low- and moderate-income uninsured people buy coverage through the new health insurance exchanges are only available in states that have set up their own exchanges, not in states with federally operated exchanges. A group of … -
Statement of Robert Greenstein, President: Court Decision Will Allow Health Reform to Bring Major Benefits to the Nation, Especially If States Do Their Job
June 28, 2012
Today’s Supreme Court decision allows the nation to reap the very substantial benefits of the Affordable Care Act: health insurance coverage for millions of uninsured Americans, important consumer protections for millions of insured Americans whose coverage has serious gaps, and the promise of progress in slowing the growth of health care costs. States and the federal government should move … -
House Legislation Would Cause 350,000 People to Forgo Health Coverage and Could Jeopardize Health Reform
June 5, 2012
The House is set to consider legislation this week that would make a change in the subsidies that health reform (the Affordable Care Act) provides to help low- and moderate-income people buy health insurance, causing 350,000 of them to forgo coverage and making it harder for health reform’s insurance exchanges to work effectively. The … -
Romney Budget Proposals Would Require Massive Cuts in Medicare, Medicaid, and Other Programs
Revised May 12, 2012
This report has been superseded by a new version, dated September 24, 2012, that reflects updated data and other information. Click to view the new analysis. Governor Mitt Romney’s proposals to cap total federal spending, boost defense spending, cut taxes, and balance the budget would require extraordinarily large cuts in other programs, both … -
House Budget Bills Would Target Programs for Lower-Income Families While Breaking Last Summer's Bipartisan Deal
Updated May 10, 2012
The House Budget Committee approved on May 7 a package of two bills that would alter the bipartisan deal between President Obama and congressional leaders that was reflected in last summer’s Budget Control Act (BCA). It would eliminate the “sequestration” (automatic cuts) in discretionary programs scheduled for 2013 as … -
Toomey Budget Similar to House-Passed Ryan Budget
May 9, 2012
The Senate may take up, as early as this week, a budget proposal from Senator Patrick J. Toomey (R-PA)[1] that is similar in most important respects to the budget resolution from House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI), which the House passed on March 29. [2] Like the Ryan budget, the Toomey plan (S. Con. Res. 37) would protect and extend tax cuts that … -
Provision in House Reconciliation Bill Would Cause 350,000 People to Forgo Health Coverage and Could Jeopardize Health Reform
April 18, 2012
The package of changes that the House Ways and Means Committee approved today in response to reconciliation instructions in the House budget resolution includes a change in the Affordable Care Act’s subsidies that would cause 350,000 people to forgo coverage and make it more difficult for the health reform law’s insurance … -
Blog Post: Chairman Ryan and the Medicare Part D Myth
March 21, 2012
Read on Off the Charts Blog House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan claims that his troubling proposal to convert Medicare into a premium support system — where beneficiaries would receive a voucher to buy private coverage or traditional Medicare — would control costs. He notes that the Medicare Part D drug benefit, which private insurers provide, has cost much … -
Blog Post: Greenstein on the Ryan Budget
March 21, 2012
We’ve issued a statement from Robert Greenstein on the budget from House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan. Here’s the opening: The new Ryan budget is a remarkable document — one that, for most of the past half-century, would have been outside the bounds of mainstream discussion due to its extreme nature. In essence, this budget is … -
Statement of Robert Greenstein, President, on Chairman Ryan's Budget Plan
March 21, 2012
The new Ryan budget is a remarkable document — one that, for most of the past half-century, would have been outside the bounds of mainstream discussion due to its extreme nature. In essence, this budget is Robin Hood in reverse — on steroids. It would likely produce the largest redistribution of income from the bottom to the top in modern U.S.… -
Blog Post: A First Look at the Ryan Budget
March 20, 2012
We’ve issued a brief analysis of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s new budget plan. Here’s the opening: House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s new budget plan specifies a long-term spending path under which, by 2050, most of the federal government aside from Social Security, health care, and defense would cease to … -
CBO Shows Ryan Budget Would Set Nation on Path to End Most of Government Other Than Social Security, Health Care, and Defense By 2050
March 20, 2012
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s new budget plan specifies a long-term spending path under which, by 2050, most of the federal government aside from Social Security, health care, and defense would cease to exist, according to figures in a Congressional Budget Office analysis released today. [1] The CBO report, prepared at Chairman … -
State Considerations on Adopting Health Reform's "Basic Health" Option
March 13, 2012
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is expected to reduce the number of uninsured people by 34 million by 2021, by providing new options for low- and moderate-income people to obtain affordable, comprehensive health coverage through Medicaid and through tax credit subsidies to help them buy coverage in the new health insurance exchanges. [1] … -
Georgia’s Tax Breaks to Increase Use of Health Savings Accounts Did Not Expand Health Coverage
Revised February 10, 2012
New data show that an approach to covering the uninsured that Newt Gingrich's Center for Health Transformation (CHT) largely designed and heavily promoted to Georgia policymakers — and that Georgia adopted in 2008 — has failed to produce the promised results. The Georgia plan features multiple tax breaks to expand the use of … -
The Case Against Premium Support
December 21, 2011
On December 16, 2011, the Brookings Institution's project on Budgeting for National Priorities hosted a discussion of the proposal for Medicare premium support developed by former Office of Management and Budget Director Alice Rivlin and former Senator Pete Domenici. [1] That proposal, and the markedly similar proposal advanced by House … -
Ryan-Wyden Premium Support Proposal Not What It May Seem
Revised December 21, 2011
The proposal for Medicare premium support by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) differs in key respects from how many media reports are describing it.[1] Despite claims to the contrary, it likely would shift substantial costs to beneficiaries rather than protect them from such cost increases, could … -
Media Briefing: A Closer Look at the Ryan-Wyden Plan to Reform Medicare
December 20, 2011
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities held a conference call briefing on Tuesday, December 20 at 12:30 pm (ET) to discuss the new Medicare reform framework put forth by Rep. Paul Ryan and Sen. Ron Wyden. Ezekiel Emanuel, a world-renowned bioethicist and health care expert, former Special Adviser for Health Policy to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and Chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy and Vice Provost for Global Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, and Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress joined CBPP's Senior Fellow Paul Van de Water, and CBPP President, Robert Greenstein to discuss the implications of the Ryan-Wyden plan on Medicare, its beneficiaries, and health care costs.
Duration: 18:27
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General Assistance Programs: Safety Net Weakening Despite Increased Need
Updated December 19, 2011
State General Assistance programs, which provide a safety net of last resort for those who are very poor and do not qualify for other public assistance, have weakened considerably in recent decades and are continuing to do so, despite the large increase in need resulting from the recession. This report discusses how General Assistance Programs … -
Provision in House Republican Payroll Tax Bill Would Cause 170,000 People to Forgo Health Coverage and Could Jeopardize Health Reform
December 12, 2011
The House Republican payroll-tax bill unveiled December 9 includes a change in the Affordable Care Act’s subsidies that would cause 170,000 people to forgo coverage and make it more difficult for the health reform law’s insurance exchanges to function effectively. The provision in question would substantially increase the … -
Allowing Insurers to Withhold Data on Enrollees’ Health Status Could Undermine Key Part of Health Reform
December 12, 2011
Risk adjustment is one of the critical elements of health reform (i.e., the Affordable Care Act, or ACA) that’s designed to encourage insurers to compete based on price and quality — not on attracting the healthiest enrollees and deterring those in poorer health, as they typically do today in the individual and small-group … -
The Senate’s Balanced Budget Amendment Would Require Extreme Budget Cuts
December 5, 2011
The constitutional balanced budget amendment (BBA) that the Senate is expected to consider this month would, like any version of a BBA, risk serious harm to the economy by requiring that the budget be balanced even during an economic downturn. But this BBA, in particular, would do far more damage because it also would prevent the … -
Program Cuts Under a Balanced Budget Amendment: How Severe Might They Be?
November 15, 2011
The constitutional balanced budget amendment that the House is expected to consider this week could force Congress to cut all programs by an average of 17.3 percent by 2018. If revenues are not raised (the House-passed budget resolution assumes no increase above current-policy levels) and all programs are cut by the same percentage, … -
Plan From Toomey, Other Republicans Not a First Step Toward Balanced Deficit Reduction
November 10, 2011
Senator Pat Toomey and other Republicans on the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (“Supercommittee”) portray their new offer to raise close to $300 billion in revenues (under a plan to reduce deficits by about $1.5 trillion over ten years) as a significant concession, and some observers have suggested it represents a … -
Democrats Offer Significant Concessions
Revised November 1, 2011
The new deficit-reduction plan from several Democrats on the congressional Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (the "supercommittee") marks a dramatic departure from traditional Democratic positions — and actually stands well to the right of plans by the co-chairs of the bipartisan Bowles-Simpson commission and the … -
Republican Plan Contains Minuscule Revenue Increase Alongside Deep Cuts in Medicare and Medicaid
October 31, 2011
The latest proposal by Republicans on the congressional Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (the "supercommittee") contains virtually no new revenue and deep cuts in Medicare and Medicaid. In those respects, it represents little change from earlier Republican budget proposals. It stands in contrast to last week's … -
Statement: Paul N. Van de Water, Senior Fellow, on the CLASS Act
October 14, 2011
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’ announcement today that her department has not been able to design a financially self-sustaining CLASS program within the law’s boundaries is sad but not surprising. It does not, however, eliminate the need for new … -
Raising Medicare’s Eligibility Age Would Increase Overall Health Spending and Shift Costs to Seniors, States, and Employers
August 23, 2011
Raising Medicare's eligibility age from 65 to 67, which the new Joint Select Committee will likely consider this fall as a deficit-reduction measure, would not only fail to constrain health care costs across the economy; it would increase them. While this proposal would save the federal government money, it would do so by shifting costs … -
States Should Take Additional Steps to Limit Adverse Selection Among Health Plans in an Exchange
June 28, 2011
Health insurance exchanges, as envisioned under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), are intended to make an array of different coverage options available to individuals and small businesses. Exchange plans will be offered at several coverage levels (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum, plus a catastrophic plan open to certain … -
Ensuring Effective Risk Adjustment
May 18, 2011
Risk adjustment is a critical element of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that can help assure the long-term success of the law’s new health insurance exchanges and market reforms. Risk adjustment compensates insurers offering plans in the individual and small-group markets inside and outside the exchanges for the risks … -
Hatch-Upton Report On Costs to States of Expanding Medicaid Relies On Seriously Flawed Estimates
March 16, 2011
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) recently released a report purporting to estimate the net cost to states of expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. [1] The report claims it provides, on a state-by-state basis, the best estimates of … -
Testimony: Paul Van de Water, Senior Fellow, Before the Committee on Education and the Workforce U.S. House of Representatives
February 9, 2011
Mr. Chairman, Mr. Miller, and members of the committee, I appreciate the invitation to appear before you today to discuss the impact of health reform on the economy, employers, and the workforce. My testimony draws on a letter that I and over 250 other economists have submitted to the committee (a copy of which is attached). The … -
Statement: Robert Greenstein, Executive Director and James Horney, Director of Federal Fiscal Policy, on the Final Report from the Co-Chairs of the Deficit Commission
December 1, 2010
The new deficit reduction plan that the co-chairs of the President’s Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform — former Clinton White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles and former Republican Senator Alan Simpson — presented today to commission members contains a number of relatively modest … -
Employer-Based Health Coverage Declined Sharply Over Past Decade
December 1, 2010
In September, the Census Bureau released data showing that the number and percentage of Americans without health insurance rose at a record pace in 2009, continuing a decade-long increase. This trend reflects the decline in private health coverage, primarily in employer-sponsored coverage. Although the severe economic … -
Rivlin-Domenici Deficit Reduction Plan Is Superior to Bowles-Simpson in Most Areas
November 30, 2010
The Rivlin-Domenici deficit reduction plan, which a commission of the Bipartisan Policy Center unveiled last week, marks a significant improvement over a plan from the co-chairs of President Obama’s fiscal commission — with the exception of health care, in which the Rivlin-Domenici plan actually is more problematic. … -
Bowles-Simpson Plan Commendably Puts Everything on the Table But Has Major Deficiencies Because It Lacks an Appropriate Balance Between Program Cuts and Revenue Increases
November 16, 2010
I. Overview and Summary The November 10 plan from the co-chairs of President Obama’s Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform helps move the budget debate beyond misguided claims that policymakers can tame deficits simply or primarily by eliminating earmarks and “waste, fraud, and abuse.” It also wisely subjects all … -
Podcast: This Week’s Health Care Milestone
September 21, 2010
January Angeles, Policy Analyst, discusses an important milestone for the health reform law that will take place this week.
Duration: 2:56
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Census Data Show Large Jump in Poverty and the Ranks of the Uninsured in 2009
September 17, 2010
Several points stand out from the data on income, poverty, and health insurance that the Census Bureau released on September 16: Poverty rose by a large amount in 2009, as 3.7 million more people fell into poverty. The number and percentage of Americans in poverty rose substantially, driven by deep job losses and record levels of … -
Statement: Robert Greenstein, Executive Director, on Census’ 2009 Poverty and Health Insurance Data
September 16, 2010
The Census Bureau data for 2009 reflect the severity of the recent recession, as poverty rose sharply and the number of uninsured spiked. The new figures somewhat overstate the rise in poverty, however, because they do not count the bulk of direct assistance that the 2009 Recovery Act provided to … -
Podcast: Understanding the Census Bureau’s Upcoming Report on Poverty
September 14, 2010
Arloc Sherman, Senior Researcher in the Center’s Welfare Reform and Income Support Division, discusses what to look for in the Census Bureau’s upcoming release of data on poverty in 2009.
Duration: 4:05
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Johanns Amendment to Small Business Bill Would Raise Health Insurance Premiums, Increase the Ranks of the Uninsured, and Eliminate Preventive Health Funding
Updated September 13, 2010
The Senate will vote tomorrow, September 14, on an amendment from Senator Mike Johanns (R-NE) to small business legislation that would repeal a provision of the health reform law designed to raise revenue by reducing noncompliance with the nation’s tax laws. [1] While critics have raised legitimate concerns about some of the paperwork … -
States Should Structure Insurance Exchanges to Minimize Adverse Selection
August 17, 2010
The health reform law (the Affordable Care Act) relies primarily on states to establish health insurance exchanges — marketplaces that provide affordable, good-quality coverage options to individuals and small businesses. But it gives states substantial flexibility in how they structure the exchanges. This paper recommends four steps … -
Health Reform Expands Medicaid Coverage For People with Disabilities
July 29, 2010
The new health reform law will cover over 30 million uninsured Americans, including 16 million low-income adults and children through Medicaid. A substantial number of the people who will gain Medicaid coverage under health reform have disabilities or chronic health care conditions. Medicaid is … -
“Grandfathering” Rules Strike a Balance for Consumers
July 29, 2010
The new health reform law includes a number of insurance reforms to aid consumers, several of which will take effect this fall. But plans that existed when the law was enacted on March 23, 2010 — known as “grandfathered” plans — aren’t required to comply with some of … -
Reducing Health Insurance Tax Credits Would Jeopardize Market Reforms and Cost Controls
July 27, 2010
To help reduce projected budget deficits, some have suggested paring back the tax credits that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 provides to help low- and moderate-income families afford health coverage through new state-based health insurance exchanges. Those deficit hawks recommending this course should set their sights … -
Podcast: Health Reform Law Improves Access to Preventive Care Services
July 27, 2010
Health Policy Analyst Sarah Lueck discusses the great news that millions of Americans will soon be able to receive preventive health care services free of charge.
Duration: 2:58
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Podcast: New Health Insurance Option for Young Adults
June 29, 2010
Health Policy Analyst Sarah Lueck discusses a provision in the new health reform law that will start helping young adults this fall. Duration: 3:04
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Young Adults Gain New Coverage Option
June 9, 2010
Under the health reform law, young adults up to their 26th birthday can obtain health coverage through their parents’ health insurance plans. This marks an important shift from the rules in effect now, under which young adults usually lose access to their parents’ coverage once they … -
Budgetary Concerns Should Not Be An Obstacle to Passing the New Jobs Bill
Revised May 20, 2010
Congress is about to take up a jobs bill that will provide a needed boost to the economic recovery and help people still struggling to find work in a difficult labor market. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Sander Levin today released a summary of … -
Understanding the CMS Actuary’s Report on Health Reform
May 17, 2010
The analysis of the health reform legislation prepared by the chief actuary of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has been widely misrepresented and misunderstood.[1] This brief paper describes some of that report’s key findings and clears up some of the most common misunderstandings. Does the actuary estimate that … -
Key Health Insurance Market Reforms Not Achievable Without an Individual Mandate
Updated May 4, 2010
Some opponents of health reform argue that the new law’s individual mandate — the requirement that individuals must have health coverage or face a penalty — should be repealed but the law’s most popular insurance market reforms kept in place. These reforms will bar insurers from denying coverage to … -
Failure to Renew Federal Benefits Changes the Map for State Unemployment Insurance Coverage
April 14, 2010
For updated data see: Policy Basics: How Many Weeks of Unemployment Compensation Are Available? Congress’s failure to extend the measures providing extra weeks of unemployment insurance (UI) and subsidized COBRA health insurance coverage for unemployed workers – which President Obama and Congress enacted in the 2009 American … -
Congress Should Act Quickly to Extend UI/COBRA Benefits Through the End of This Year
April 12, 2010
The long-term unemployment rate — the percentage of people in the work force who have been out of work for over half a year and are still looking for a job — reached an unprecedented 4.3 percent of the labor force in March (see the chart). Yet Congress has allowed the Recovery Act measures that provide additional weeks of … -
Efforts to Nullify Health Reform Likely to Fail, But Could Interfere With Law’s Implementation
April 7, 2010
The new health care reform law, known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA),[1] requires most people to have health coverage or face a penalty. This requirement, most often referred to as an individual mandate, is an essential component of the new law. Without it, reforming insurance markets to require … -
Holding the Line on Medicaid and CHIP
March 26, 2010
Issued Jointly With The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA; Public Law 111-148), signed into law on March 23, 2010, requires that states maintain their current eligibility standards for Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). These maintenance-of-effort (MOE) requirements apply to adults … -
Private Health Coverage Unstable for Middle Class
March 18, 2010
In about one-quarter of middle-income families with private health coverage, a family member lost coverage at some point between 2004 and 2007, analysis of Census Bureau survey data reveals. Nearly all of these family members ended up uninsured, often for several months. While the survey only extends through 2007, these problems have almost certainly worsened due to … -
Statement: Robert Greenstein, Executive Director, on the President's Health Reform Proposal
February 23, 2010
The President’s proposal represents the last hope, perhaps for years to come, to enact comprehensive reforms that extend coverage to over 30 million uninsured Americans, provide important consumer protections to tens of millions of insured Americans whose coverage may have critical gaps, … -
Coburn-Ryan Health Bill Would Jeopardize Coverage for Many, While Failing To Reduce the Number of Uninsured Significantly
Revised February 12, 2010
With President Obama’s call for greater inter-party cooperation on health reform, and his announcement that the White House will hold a health care “summit” on February 25, Republican alternatives to the House- and Senate-passed Democratic plans are now receiving more attention. One such alternative is the … -
Vast Majority of Children Would Be As Well Off or Better Off Under House Health Bill Than Under Current Law
Revised December 24, 2009
An examination of how the almost 79 million children under age 19 would fare under the House-passed health reform bill shows that the overwhelming majority likely would either see no change or be better off than under current law, with tens of millions better off. Some have criticized the bill out of the belief that its phaseout of the Children’s Health … -
Podcast: Update on the Recovery Act
December 22, 2009
Two key provisions in the Recovery Act – unemployment insurance and COBRA – and suggestions for Congress are discussed by Chief Economist, Chad Stone.
Duration: 5:04
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Poverty Rose, Median Income Declined, and Job-Based Health Insurance Continued to Weaken in 2008
September 10, 2009
Poverty increased, median household income fell, and the percentage of Americans with employer-based health coverage continued to decline in 2008, according to Census data for 2008 issued today. The figures reflect the initial effects of the recession. Median household income declined 3.6 percent in 2008 after adjusting for … -
Private Health Coverage Declined, Became Less Secure in 2008
September 10, 2009
The Census Bureau reported today that 46.3 million U.S. residents lacked health insurance in 2008, an increase of 632,000 over the previous year. [1] Nearly 6.6 million more people were uninsured in 2008 than in 2001, when the previous recession hit bottom. The proportion of the population without health insurance climbed to … -
Statement: Greenstein on Census’ 2008 Health Insurance and Poverty Data
September 10, 2009
Today’s grim Census Bureau report shows the nation lost substantial ground in 2008 on poverty, median income, and the number of people who are uninsured. Several aspects of the Census report stand out. The number of people living in poverty jumped by 2.6 million to 39.8 million — the highest since 1960. The poverty rate … -
Podcast: Examining the New 2008 Census Data on Poverty, Income, and Health Insurance Coverage
September 10, 2009
Robert Greenstein discusses today’s grim Census Bureau report that shows the nation lost substantial ground in 2008 on poverty, median income, and the number of people who are uninsured. Several aspects of the Census report are highlighted.
Duration: 11:59
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Allowing Multiple Insurance Exchanges in a Single Area Would Make It Harder to Obtain Affordable, Good-Quality Coverage
July 8, 2009
The new insurance exchanges that policymakers are contemplating as part of national health reform could greatly improve people’s access to affordable, decent-quality health insurance, reduce insurers’ ability to “cherry pick” healthy enrollees, and help reduce administrative costs within the health insurance market. But allowing … -
Statement: Robert Greenstein to Health Reform Financing Roundtable of the Senate Finance Committee
May 12, 2009
Thank you for inviting me to discuss health care reform financing issues. This is an important aspect of health care reform. Financing is Critical Some 46 million Americans are uninsured, a problem that other western industrialized nations have been able to address. In addition, rising health care costs … -
Insuring All Americans Is a Critical Component of an Efficient, High Quality Health Care System
April 21, 2009
Health care reform should have two key goals — containing health care costs while improving its quality, and extending coverage to the 46 million Americans who are uninsured. These two goals fit together, because extending coverage is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition to containing costs. Stated another … -
Measure in House Recovery Package — But Not Senate Package — Would Help Unemployed Parents Receive Health Coverage
February 9, 2009
The economic recovery package that the House passed on January 28 would establish a temporary option for states to provide Medicaid coverage to certain workers (and their families) who have become unemployed during this recession. This provision, which is not in the Senate package, would help address a problem many parents face … -
Challenges of Providing Health Coverage for Children and Parents in a Recession
January 27, 2009
http://www.kff.org/medicaid/upload/7855.pdf -
Poverty and Share of Americans Without Health Insurance Were Higher in 2007 - And Median Income for Working-Age Households Was Lower - Than at the Bottom of Last Recession
August 26, 2008
The number of Americans in poverty climbed by 816,000 in 2007, while the poverty rate remained statistically unchanged, overall median income rose modestly, and the number and percentage of Americans without health insurance fell somewhat, according to Census data issued today. But the poverty rate remained higher, median income for working-age … -
Robert Greenstein on Census' 2007 Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Data
August 26, 2008
Despite modest improvements in overall median income and health insurance coverage, the new Census data are disquieting. Though 2007 was the sixth (and likely the final) year of an economic expansion, 4.4 million more Americans were poor, the median income of non-elderly households was $1,100 lower, and nearly 6 million more Americans were uninsured than in 2001 — … -
More Americans, Including More Children, Now Lack Health Insurance
Revised August 31, 2007
The number of uninsured Americans rose for the sixth consecutive year in 2006, to 47.0 million,[1], [2] and the number of uninsured children rose for the second straight year, to 8.7 million, according to Census data released on August 28. Between 1998, the year the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) was implemented, and 2004, the number of uninsured children fell every … -
Number and Percentage of Americans Who Are Uninsured Climbs Again in 2006
Revised August 31, 2007
New Census data show that in 2006, both the number and the percentage of Americans who are uninsured hit their highest levels since 1999, the first year for which comparable data are available, with 2.2 million more Americans — and 600,000 more children — joining the ranks of the uninsured in 2006. The new Census figures also show that while the overall poverty rate declined slightly … -
Statement by Robert Greenstein on the 2006 Census Bureau Data on Poverty, Income, and Health Insurance
Revised August 31, 2007
The new Census figures are disappointing for the fifth year of an economic recovery —showing a significant decline in poverty for people over 65 but no significant decline in poverty for children or adults aged 18 to 64, and only a modest improvement in median income. In 2006, the poverty rate … -
Census Revises Estimates of the Number of Uninsured People
April 5, 2007
On March 23, the Census Bureau announced that it has revised estimates of the number of uninsured people for 2004 and 2005, after it detected an error in how data from its Current Population Survey have been tabulated. The number and percentage of people who were uninsured in 2005 changed from 46.6 million (15.9 percent of the population) to … -
Administration Policy Change Threatens Health Care Coverage for Poor Infants
Revised December 11, 2006
Since 1984, federal Medicaid law has required that states provide one year of automatic Medicaid eligibility to babies whose mothers are sufficiently poor that the baby’s birth was covered by Medicaid.[2] For the past 22 years, these babies have been able to get check-ups and other health care services that can be … -
Documenting Citizenship and Identity Using Data Matches
September 1, 2006
Under the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA), U.S. citizens must document their citizenship and identity when applying for Medicaid or renewing their coverage. The new requirement, which took effect on July 1, could jeopardize the health coverage of substantial numbers of eligible citizens who are unable to secure the required … -
The Number of Uninsured Americans Is At An All-Time High
August 29, 2006
Data released today by the Census Bureau show that the number of uninsured Americans stood at a record 46.6 million in 2005, with 15.9 percent of Americans lacking health coverage. “The number of uninsured Americans reached an all-time high in 2005,” said Robert Greenstein, executive director of the Center on Budget and … -
Revised Medicaid Documentation Requirement Jeopardizes Coverage For 1 To 2 Million Citizens
July 13, 2006
The Deficit Reduction Act signed by the President in February contains a new mandate requiring the 50 million U.S. citizens who receive Medicaid coverage, as well as all future citizen applicants for Medicaid, to prove their citizenship by providing documents such as birth certificates or U.S. passports. In January, the Center on … -
Press Releease: Medicaid ID Rule Could Put Health Coverage At Risk For 3 To 5 Million U.S. Citizens Starting July 1
June 30, 2006
A new rule requiring U.S. citizens to prove their citizenship when applying for or renewing Medicaid benefits is expected to jeopardize coverage for several million qualified citizens, from elderly people in nursing homes to foster children, according to a national survey conducted by the Center on … -
Survey Indicates Deficit Reduction Act Jeopardizes Medicaid Coverage For 3 To 5 Million U.S. Citizens
Revised February 17, 2006
The Deficit Reduction Act signed by the President on February 8th contains a new mandate requiring U.S. citizens covered by Medicaid to prove their citizenship by submitting a birth certificate or passport (or a limited set of similar documents) or else lose their Medicaid coverage. Beginning July 1, 2006, this provision will apply … -
Press Release: Administration’s Health Savings Accounts Proposals Would Cause Net Increase In Number Of Uninsured
February 15, 2006
A new analysis by one of the nation’s leading health economists finds that the Administration’s proposals to expand tax breaks for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) would cause a net increase in the number of uninsured Americans. The analysis, conducted by Jonathan Gruber of M.I.T., projects that while 3.8 million previously uninsured people would gain health coverage through HSAs as a result of the President’s proposals, 4.4 million people would … -
New Congressional Budget Office Estimates Indicate Millions of Low-Income Beneficiaries Would Be Harmed by Medicaid Provisions in Budget Bill
January 29, 2006
On January 27, the Congressional Budget Office issued a new analysis of the Medicaid provisions of the budget reconciliation conference agreement,[1] on which the House of Representatives is expected to vote February 1. The conference agreement, which the Senate passed 51-50 in late December with Vice President Cheney breaking the … -
New Survey Finds 3 To 5 Million Citizens’ Medicaid Coverage Jeopardized By Budget Reconciliation Bill
January 26, 2006
On February 1, the House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the budget reconciliation agreement, which contains a little-noticed mandate requiring U.S. citizens covered by Medicaid to prove their citizenship by submitting a birth certificate or passport or lose their Medicaid coverage. … -
New Requirement for Birth Certificates or Passports Could Threaten Medicaid Coverage for Vulnerable Beneficiaries
January 5, 2006
The Deficit Reduction Act, which was signed by the President on February 8th, contains a provision that would require all citizens applying for Medicaid or renewing their coverage to produce a passport or birth certificate to prove they are U.S. citizens. There would be no exceptions for any Medicaid applicants or beneficiaries, not even individuals … -
Press Release: New Documentation Rule Threatens Medicaid Coverage For Many
January 5, 2006
A bill nearing final passage in Congress that would cut programs such as Medicaid, student loans, and child support enforcement contains a little-noticed provision that would require all citizens applying for Medicaid to produce a passport or a birth certificate to prove they are U.S. citizens. The … -
Poverty, Income, and Health Insurance Tables
October 19, 2005
Sources, Definitions, and Footnotes Poverty Tables: Download PDF | Download Excel Spreadsheet Table 1: Persons in Poverty, by Race and Hispanic Origin Table 2: Female-Headed Families with Children in Poverty, by Race and Hispanic Origin Table 3: … -
Statement: Robert Greenstein on Administration Mischaracterizations Regarding the Economy and New Data on Poverty, Income, and Health Insurance
August 31, 2005
Yesterday, the Census Bureau released data that showing that in 2004 — the third full year of the economic recovery — poverty increased, the earnings of full-time workers fell, the income of the typical non-elderly household also fell, and the number of Americans … -
The Number of Uninsured Americans Continued To Rise In 2004
August 30, 2005
Data released today by the Census Bureau show that the number of uninsured Americans stood at 45.8 million in 2004, an increase of 800,000 people over the number uninsured in 2003 (45.0 million). The percentage of people without health insurance, 15.7 percent in 2004, was not significantly different from the 15.6 percent rate in 2003. …
