The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #52515

E. Richard Brown, PhD, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, 10911 Weyburn Avenue, Suite 300, Los Angeles, CA 90024, (310) 794-0812, erbrown@ucla.edu, Thomas Rice, PhD, Department of Health Services, UCLA School of Public Health, P.O.Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772, Ninez Alafriz Ponce, MPP, PhD, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, UCLA School of Public Health, Box 951772, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1772, and Shana B. Alex, MPP, Center for Health Policy Research, University of California, Los Angeles, 10911 Weyburn Ave., Suite 300, Los Angeles, CA 90024.

This paper presents new findings on health insurance coverage in California based on the 2001 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS 2001), a population-based telephone survey of 55,000 California households on health status and health care coverage and access. CHIS 2001 provides new time frames and a rich source of data with which to better understand health insurance coverage and the lack of coverage for California’s diverse population. This paper presents findings on disparities in uninsured rates, job-based health insurance coverage, and eligibility for public coverage programs by race/ethnicity, citizenship and immigration status, and socio-economic status. Disparities in the proportion of workers whose employer offers health insurance account for much of the difference in uninsured rates. Medicaid and SCHIP provide coverage to a large share of immigrant children and adults.

Learning Objectives:

• This paper presents new findings on health insurance coverage in California based on the 2001 California Health Interview Survey (CHIS 2001), a population-based telephone survey of 55,000 California households on health status and health care coverage and access. CHIS 2001 provides new time frames and a rich source of data with which to better understand health insurance coverage and the lack of coverage for California’s diverse population. This paper presents findings on disparities in uninsured rates, job-based health insurance coverage, and eligibility for public coverage programs by race/ethnicity, citizenship and immigration status, and socio-economic status. Disparities in the proportion of workers whose employer offers health insurance account for much of the difference in uninsured rates. Medicaid and SCHIP provide coverage to a large share of immigrant children and adults.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.