Trends in health insurance coverage in California, 1989-1993.
California's uninsurance rate of 22.7 percent is higher than the national average. The state's rate of employment-based insurance coverage--below the national average--is declining because of rising health insurance premiums, falling family incomes, and the changing structure of the economy and the labor market. Growing Medicaid coverage, fostered by expanded eligibility and falling incomes, has prevented rapid growth in the state's uninsured population. Anticipated cutbacks in federal Medicaid funding, however, would increase California's uninsurance rate. Continuing cutbacks in health services for the uninsured would reduce their access to health care and increase stress on many private health services.
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Center for Health Policy Research, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002140:California; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003363:Cost Control / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008484:Medicaid / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008489:Medical Indigency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D013221:State Health Plans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States