Prior health care experiences of adolescents who enroll in SCHIP.
The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) was designed to provide health insurance to low-income children and adolescents. Little is known about prior access to care and health care experiences of new SCHIP enrollees. We surveyed Florida and New York new adolescent SCHIP enrollees about their health status, prior health care utilization, access, and unmet needs. Most enrollees were younger (ages 12-16 years), Black or Hispanic, lived in poverty, and were without health insurance the year before SCHIP. Most had a usual source of care (USC) prior to enrollment; Blacks and Hispanics were less likely than Whites to have had a USC. Although 69% of Florida and 80% of New York adolescents reported seeing a physician the year before enrollment, 24% and 40%, respectively, reported unmet health care needs. Only 32% of Florida and 40% of the New York adolescents who were surveyed reported ever having met privately with their clinicians. Many new SCHIP enrollees report unmet needs, disparities in access, and sub-optimal care prior to enrollment. Adolescents' needs should be considered in SCHIP program and quality assurance efforts.
Klein
Jonathan D
JD
Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, USA. jonathan_klein@urmc.rochester.edu
Shenkman
Elizabeth
E
Brach
Cindy
C
Shone
Laura P
LP
Col
Jana
J
Schaffer
Virginia A
VA
Dick
Andrew W
AW
VanLandeghem
Karen
K
Szilagyi
Peter G
PG
D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D001741:Black or African American; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006304:Health Status; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008483:Medical Assistance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009518:New York