Welfare reform and health insurance: consequences for parents.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed the relation between the work promotion, welfare reduction, and marriage goals of welfare reform and the stability of health insurance of parents in transition from welfare to work.


METHODS
We analyzed a panel survey (1999-2002) of a stratified random sample of Illinois families receiving welfare in 1998 (n=1363).


RESULTS
Medicaid remains the foremost source of health insurance despite a significant decline in the proportion of parents with Medicaid. Regardless of work/welfare status in year 1, transitioning to work only or no work/no welfare increased the likelihood of having unstable health insurance in years 2 and 3 compared with those who remained on welfare only.


CONCLUSIONS
Parents who meet the welfare reform goals of work promotion and reduction of welfare dependence experience significant loss and instability of health insurance.
Holl
Jane L
JL
Institute for Health Services Research and Policy Studies, 339 E Chicago Ave, Room 713, Chicago, IL 60611-3071. j-holl@northwestern.edu.
Slack
Kristen Shook
KS
Stevens
Amy Bush
AB
D000385:Aid to Families with Dependent Children / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare / Q000191:economics; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006264:Health Benefit Plans, Employee / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019458:Insurance Coverage / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D008484:Medicaid / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017057:Medically Uninsured / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010290:Parents; D011632:Public Assistance / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D011640:Public Policy; D012946:Social Welfare / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014481:United States