title: Gaps in health coverage among working-age Americans and the consequences.
abstract: This paper examines health coverage and access to care among working-age adults using the Kaiser/Commonwealth 1997 National Survey of Health Insurance. One in three (52 million) working-age adults were either uninsured at the time of the survey or had a recent gap in their health coverage in the past two years. Having even a temporary gap in health coverage made a significant difference in access to care. Compared to the elderly, who are continuously covered by Medicare, working-age adults have greater problems paying their medical bills and gaining access to care and are less satisfied with their health insurance coverage.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schoen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rowland
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Davis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012923:Social Class; D014481:United States