Insurance Coverage & Costs

HSC analyses focus on private and public insurance coverage, the uninsured and the cost of health care. HSC research provides insight into a range of topics, including how health care costs are changing, why the nation's number of uninsured continues to rise and how employer-sponsored coverage is changing.

Title	Date	Document Info
Innovations in Preventing and Managing Chronic Conditions: What's Working in the Real World? Alwyn Cassil	June 2010	Issue Brief No. 132
Addressing Spending Trends in Massachusetts Paul B. Ginsburg	March 18, 2010	Testimony
Individual Insurance: Health Insurers Try to Tap Potential Market Growth Elizabeth A. November, Genna R. Cohen, Paul B. Ginsburg, Brian C. Quinn	November 2009	Research Brief No. 14
Suburban Poverty and the Health Care Safety Net Laurie E. Felland, Johanna Lauer, Peter J. Cunningham	July 2009	Research Brief No. 13
How Does Health Coverage and Access to Care for Immigrants Vary by Length of Time in the U.S.? Peter J. Cunningham, Samantha Artiga	June 9, 2009	Kaiser Family Foundation Report
Efficiency and Quality: The Role of Controlling Health Care Cost Growth in Health Care Reform Paul B. Ginsburg	June 3, 2009	Commentary
Financial and Health Burdens of Chronic Conditions Grow Ha T. Tu, Genna R. Cohen	April 2009	Tracking Report No. 24
Price and Quality Transparency of Medical Services	April 2, 2009	Congressional Testimony
Access to Prescription Drugs for Medicare Beneficiaries James D. Reschovsky, Laurie E. Felland	March 2009	Tracking Report No. 23
Consumer-Directed Health Care: Promise and Performance James C. Robinson, Paul B. Ginsburg	Jan. 27, 2009	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
More Nonelderly Americans Face Problems Affording Prescription Drugs Laurie E. Felland, James D. Reschovsky	January 2009	Tracking Report No. 22
Living on the Edge: Health Care Expenses Strain Family Budgets Peter J. Cunningham, Carolyn Miller, Alwyn Cassil	December 2008	Research Brief No. 10
Rising Rates of Chronic Health Conditions: What Can Be Done? Alwyn Cassil	November 2008	Issue Brief No. 125
The Fraying Link Between Work and Health Insurance Peter J. Cunningham, Samantha Artiga, Karyn Schwartz	November 2008	Kaiser Family Foundation Report
Do Reimbursement Delays Discourage Medicaid Participation by Physicians? Peter J. Cunningham, Ann S. O'Malley	Nov. 18, 2008	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Massachusetts Health Reform: High Costs and Expanding Expectations May Weaken Employer Support Debra A. Draper, Laurie E. Felland, Allison Liebhaber, Johanna Lauer	October 2008	Issue Brief No. 124
Trade-Offs Getting Tougher: Problems Paying Medical Bills Increase for U.S. Families, 2003-2007 Peter J. Cunningham	September 2008	Tracking Report No. 21
Employment-Based Health Benefits Under Univeral Coverage Paul B. Ginsburg	May/June 2008	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Don't Break Out the Champagne: Continued Slowing of Health Care Spending Growth Unlikely to Last Paul B. Ginsburg	January/February 2008	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Overburdened and Overwhelmed: The Struggles of Communities with High Medical Cost Burdens Peter J. Cunningham	November 2007	Research Report
Why Do Hispanics Have So Little Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance? James D. Reschovsky, Jack Hadley, Len M. Nichols	Fall 2007	Journal ArticleInquiry
Massachusetts Health Reform: Employers, Lower-Wage Workers and Universal Coverage Laurie E. Felland, Debra A. Draper, Allison Liebhaber	July 2007	Issue Brief No. 113
Self-Pay Markets in Health Care: Consumer Nirvana or Caveat Emptor? Ha T. Tu, Jessica H. May	Feb. 6, 2007	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Shopping for Price in Medical Care Paul B. Ginsburg	Feb. 6, 2007	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Behind the Slow Growth of Employer-Based Consumer-Driven Health Plans Jon R. Gabel, Jeremy D. Pickreign, Heidi H. Whitmore	December 2006	Issue Brief No. 107
Employers' Views on Incremental Measures to Expand Health Coverage Heidi H. Whitmore, Sara R. Collins, Jon R. Gabel, Jeremy D. Pickreign	November/December 2006	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Tracking Health Care Costs: Spending Growth Remains Stable at High Rate in 2005 Paul B. Ginsburg, Bradley C. Strunk, Michelle I. Banker, John P. Cookson	October 2006	Data Bulletin No. 33
Tracking Health Care Costs: Continued Stability But at High Rates in 2005 Paul B. Ginsburg, Bradley C. Strunk, Michelle I. Banker, John P. Cookson	Oct. 3, 2006	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Health Benefits In 2006: Premium Increases Moderate, Enrollment In Consumer-Directed Health Plans Remains Modest Gary Claxton, Jon R. Gabel, Isadora Gil, Jeremy D. Pickreign, Heidi H. Whitmore, Benjamin Finder, Samantha Hawkins	Sept. 26, 2006	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Prescription Drug Spending for Medicare+Choice Beneficiaries in the Last Year of Life Cheryl Fahlman, Joanne Lynn, Danielle Doberman, Jon R. Gabel, Mike Finch	August 2006	Journal ArticleJournal of Palliative Medicine
How Consumers Shop for Health Care When They Pay Out of Pocket: Evidence from the LASIK Self-Pay Market	July 18, 2006	Congressional Testimony
Strategies to Enhance Price and Quality Competition in Health Care: Lessons Learned from Tracking Local Markets Cara S. Lesser, Paul B. Ginsburg	June 2006	Journal ArticleJournal of Health Politics, Policy and Law
Medicare Fees and Physicians' Medicare Service Volume: Beneficiaries Treated and Services per Beneficiary Jack Hadley, James D. Reschovsky	June 2006	Journal ArticleInternational Journal of Health Care Finance and Economics
Why Employer-Sponsored Insurance Coverage Changed, 1997-2003 James D. Reschovsky, Bradley C. Strunk, Paul B. Ginsburg	May/June 2006	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Generosity and Adjusted Premiums in Job-Based Insurance: Hawaii is Up, Wyoming is Down Jon R. Gabel, Roland McDevitt, Laura Gandolfo, Jeremy D. Pickreign, Samantha Hawkins, Cheryl Fahlman	May/June 2006	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Public Employees' Health Benefits Survive Major Threats, So Far Robert E. Hurley, Laurie E. Felland, Anneliese M. Gerland, Jeremy D. Pickreign	April 18, 2006	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Consumer Price Shopping in Health Care	March 15, 2006	Congressional Testimony
Physician Acceptance of New Medicare Patients Stabilizes in 2004-05 Peter J. Cunningham, Andrea Staiti, Paul B. Ginsburg	January 2006	Tracking Report No. 12
Health Benefits in 2005: Premium Increases Slow Down, Coverage Continues to Erode Jon R. Gabel, Gary Claxton, Isadora Gil, Jeremy D. Pickreign, Heidi H. Whitmore, Benjamin Finder, Samantha Hawkins, Diane Rowland	September/October 2005	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
What High-Deductible Plans Look Like: Findings from a National Survey of Employers, 2005 Gary Claxton, Jon R. Gabel, Isadora Gil, Jeremy D. Pickreign, Heidi H. Whitmore, Benjamin Finder, Shada Rouhani, Samantha Hawkins, Diane Rowland	Sept. 14, 2005	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Public Coverage Provides Vital Safety Net for Children with Special Health Care Needs Ha T. Tu, Peter J. Cunningham	September 2005	Issue Brief No. 98
Tracking Health Care Costs: Spending Growth Stabilizes at High Rate in 2004 Bradley C. Strunk, Paul B. Ginsburg, John P. Cookson	June 2005	Data Bulletin No. 29
Tracking Health Care Costs: Declining Growth Trend Pauses in 2004 Bradley C. Strunk, Paul B. Ginsburg, John P. Cookson	June 21, 2005	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Medicare Seniors Much Less Willing to Limit Physician-Hospital Choice for Lower Costs Ha T. Tu	June 2005	Issue Brief No. 96
More Americans Willing to Limit Physician-Hospital Choice for Lower Medical Costs Ha T. Tu	March 2005	Issue Brief No. 94
High Cost of Medical Care Prompts Consumers to Seek Alternatives Ha T. Tu, J. Lee Hargraves	December 2004	Data Bulletin No. 28
Tracking Health Care Costs: Spending Growth Slowdown Stalls in First Half of 2004 Bradley C. Strunk, Paul B. Ginsburg	December 2004	Issue Brief No. 91
As the Health Insurance Underwriting Cycle Turns: What Next? Joy M. Grossman, Paul B. Ginsburg	November/December 2004	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Trends in Health Insurance Coverage and Access Among Black, Latino and White Americans, 2001-2003 J. Lee Hargraves	October 2004	Tracking Report No. 11
Controlling Health Care Costs Paul B. Ginsburg	Oct. 14, 2004	Commentary
Children's Health Coverage: A Quarter-Century of Change Peter J. Cunningham, James Kirby	September/October 2004	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Trends in U.S. Health Insurance Coverage, 2001-2003 Bradley C. Strunk, James D. Reschovsky	August 2004	Tracking Report No. 9
Expanding Care Versus Expanding Coverage: How to Improve Access to Care Peter J. Cunningham, Jack Hadley	July/August 2004	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Tracking Health Care Costs: Trends Turn Downward in 2003 Bradley C. Strunk, Paul B. Ginsburg	June 2004	Data Bulletin No. 27
Tracking Health Care Costs: Trends Turn Downward in 2003 Bradley C. Strunk, Paul B. Ginsburg	June 9, 2004	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Preferred Provider Organizations and Medicare: Is There an Advantage? Robert E. Hurley, Bradley C. Strunk, Joy M. Grossman	April 2004	Issue Brief No. 81
Popular Medicaid Programs do Battle with State Budget Pressures: Perspectives from Twelve States John F. Hoadley, Peter J. Cunningham, Megan McHugh	March/April 2004	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Medicaid Managed Care: The Last Bastion of the HMO? Debra A. Draper, Robert E. Hurley, Ashley C. Short	March/April 2004	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Myths About The Uninsured	March 9, 2004	Congressional Testimony
The Effect of Tax Credits for Nongroup Insurance on Health Spending by the Uninsured James D. Reschovsky, Jack Hadley	Feb. 25, 2004	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Tax-free But of Little Account Paul B. Ginsburg	Feb. 16, 2004	Commentary
Tracking Health Care Costs: Trends Slow in First Half of 2003 Bradley C. Strunk, Paul B. Ginsburg	December 2003	Data Bulletin No. 26
Patient Cost Sharing: How Much is Too Much? Sally Trude	December 2003	Issue Brief No. 72
Patient Cost Sharing: Promises and Pitfalls	Dec. 3, 2003	Conference Transcript
Health and the Cost of Nongroup Insurance Jack Hadley, James D. Reschovsky	Fall 2003	Journal ArticleInquiry
The Health Care Cost-Coverage Conundrum Paul B. Ginsburg, Len M. Nichols	Fall 2003	Annual Essay 2002-03
SCHIP Making Progress: Increased Take-up Contributes to Coverage Gains Peter J. Cunningham	July/August 2003	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Tracking Health Care Costs	June 2003	Data Bulletin No. 25
Association Health Plans and Alternative Ways to Increase Health Insurance Coverage Among Workers in Small Firms Len M. Nichols	Feb. 5, 2003	Congressional Testimony
The Effects of SCHIP on Children's Health Insurance Coverage Peter J. Cunningham, Jack Hadley, James D. Reschovsky	December 2002	Journal ArticleMedical Care Research and Review
SCHIP, Medicaid Expansions Lead to Shifts in Children's Coverage Peter J. Cunningham, James D. Reschovsky, Jack Hadley	December 2002	Issue Brief No. 59
The Individual Health Insurance Market	December 2002	Issue Brief No. 58
The Nongroup Health Insurance Market: Short on Facts, Long on Opinions and Policy Disputes Mark V. Pauly, Len M. Nichols	Oct. 23, 2002	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs,
Ensuring Health Security: Is the Individual Market Ready for Prime Time? Karen Pollitz, Richard Sorian	Oct. 23, 2002	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs,
Individual Health Insurance: Fact, Opinion and Policy	October 23, 2002	Conference Transcript
Aging Plays Limited Role in Health Care Cost Trends Bradley C. Strunk, Paul B. Ginsburg	September 2002	Data Bulletin No. 23
Tracking Health Care Costs: Growth Accelerates Again in 2001 Bradley C. Strunk, Paul B. Ginsburg, Jon R. Gabel	Sept. 25, 2002	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Tracking Health Care Costs Bradley C. Strunk, Paul B. Ginsburg, Jon R. Gabel	September 2002	Data Bulletin No. 22
Tracking Health Care Costs	September 2002	Data Bulletin No. 22
Working Families' Health Insurance Coverage, 1997-2001 Bradley C. Strunk, James D. Reschovsky	August 2002	Tracking Report No. 4
Insurance Product Design and Its Effects Peter Kemper, Ha T. Tu, James D. Reschovsky, Elizabeth Schaefer	Summer 2002	Journal ArticleInquiry
Small Firms' Demand for Health Insurance: The Decision to Offer Insurance Jack Hadley, James D. Reschovsky	Summer 2002	Journal ArticleInquiry
Health Insurance Expansions for Working Families Danielle H. Ferry, Bowen Garrett, Sherry Gilied, Emily K. Greenman, Len M. Nichols	July/August 2002	Journal ArticleHealth Affairs
Tax Credits and the Affordability of Individual Health Insurance Jack Hadley, James D. Reschovsky	July 2002	Issue Brief No. 53
Looking Behind the Numbers: What's Driving Health Care Costs	June 18, 2002	Testimony
Declining Employer-Sponsored Coverage Peter J. Cunningham	March 2002	Journal ArticleMedical Care Research and Review
Options for Expanding Health Insurance for People with Chronic Conditions Ha T. Tu, Marie C. Reed	February 2002	Issue Brief No. 50
Triple Jeopardy: Low Income, Chronically Ill and Uninsured in America Marie C. Reed, Ha T. Tu	February 2002	Issue Brief No. 49
Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance: Sally Trude, Jon B. Christianson, Cara S. Lesser, Carolyn A. Watts, Andrea Staiti	January/February 2002	Health Affairs
Premium Subsidies for Employer-Sponsored Health Coverage Leslie Jackson Conwell, Ashley C. Short	December 2001	Issue Brief No. 47
Employer Health Insurance Premium Subsidies Unlikely to Enhance Coverage Significantly James D. Reschovsky, Jack Hadley	December 2001	Issue Brief No. 46
Consumers Face Higher Costs As Health Plans Seek to Control Drug Spending Glen P. Mays, Robert E. Hurley, Joy M. Grossman	November 2001	Issue Brief No. 45
The Health Status of Workers Who Decline Employer-Sponsored Insurance: Linda J. Blumberg, Len M. Nichols	November 2001	Health Affairs
Tracking Health Care Costs: Bradley C. Strunk, Paul B. Ginsburg, Jon R. Gabel	September 2001	Data Bulletin No. 21 - Revised
Communities Play Key Role in Extending Public Health Insurance to Children Laurie E. Felland, Andrea Staiti	October 2001	Issue Brief No. 44
Worker Decisions to Purchase Health Insurance Linda J. Blumberg, Len M. Nichols, Jessica S. Banthin	September 2001	Journal ArticleInternational Journal of Health Care Finance and Economics
Hospital Spending Drives Largest Health Care Cost Increase in a Decade	September 26, 2001
Tracking Health Care Costs Bradley C. Strunk, Paul B. Ginsburg, Jon R. Gabel	September 26th 2001	Health Affairs
Tracking Health Care Costs	September 2001
Stand-Alone Health Insurance Tax Credits Aren't Enough Leslie A. Jackson, Sally Trude	July 2001	Issue Brief No. 41
Targeting Communities With High Rates Of Uninsured Children Peter J. Cunningham	July 25, 2001	Health Affairs
What Accounts for Differences in Uninsurance Rates Across Communities? Peter J. Cunningham, Paul B. Ginsburg	Spring 2001	Inquiry
Defined Contributions: The Search for a New Vision Sally Trude	April 2001	Issue Brief No. 37
Tax Credits and Purchasing Pools: Will This Marriage Work? Sally Trude, Paul B. Ginsburg	April 2001	Issue Brief No. 36
How to Make Tax Credits for Health Insurance Work: The Role of Purchasing Pools	April 10, 2001	Conference Transcript
Trends In Out-Of-Pocket Spending By Insured American Workers, 1990-1997 Jon R. Gabel, Paul B. Ginsburg, Jeremy D. Pickreign, James D. Reschovsky	March/April 2001	Health Affairs
Do Consumers Know How Their Health Plan Works? Peter J. Cunningham, Charles Denk, Michael Sinclair	March/April 2001	Health Affairs
Back To The Future? New Cost and Access Challenges Emerge Cara S. Lesser, Paul B. Ginsburg	February 2001	Issue Brief No. 35
Tracking Health Care Costs:	November 2000	Data Bulletin No. 20
Tracking Health Care Costs: Christopher Hogan, Paul B. Ginsburg, Jon R. Gabel	November/December 2000	Health Affairs
Update on the Nation’s Health Care System: Cara S. Lesser, Paul B. Ginsburg	November/December 2000	Health Affairs
Some Communities Make Progress in Reducing Children's Uninsurance Michael H. Park, Peter J. Cunningham	October 2000	Data Bulletin No. 19
Are Defined Contributions a New Direction for Employer-Sponsored Coverage? Sally Trude, Paul B. Ginsburg	October 2000	Issue Brief No. 32
Defining "Defined Contributions":	October 10, 2000	Conference Transcript
Wall Street Comes to Washington:	September 2000	Issue Brief No. 31
Withering on the Vine: Jon R. Gabel, Paul B. Ginsburg, Heidi H. Whitmore, Jeremy D. Pickreign	September/October 2000	Health Affairs
Wall Street Analysts Bullish on Managed Care, Bearish on Revolution Health Care Information Technology	June 22, 2000	Conference Executive Summary
Fifth Annual Wall Street Comes to Washington:	June 21, 2000	Conference Transcript
Recent Trends in Children's Health Insurance Peter J. Cunningham, Michael H. Park	April 2000	Issue Brief No. 29
Tracking Recent Changes in Health Coverage for Low-Income Children with the Community Tracking Study, 1996-1997 and 1998-1999 Peter J. Cunningham, Michael H. Park	April 2000	Research Report No. 04
Who Has a Choice of Health Plans? Sally Trude	February 2000	Issue Brief No. 27
Local Innovations Provide Managed Care for the Uninsured Laurie E. Felland, Cara S. Lesser	January 2000	Issue Brief No. 25
Tracking Health Care Costs: Paul B. Ginsburg	November 1999	Issue Brief No. 23
Update on the Nation's Health Care System:	November 16, 1999	Conference Transcript
HSC Conference Focusing on the Nation's Health Care System Finds It Is in Tremendous Turmoil	November 19, 1999	Conference Executive Summary
Who Declines Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance and Is Uninsured? Peter J. Cunningham, Elizabeth Schaefer, Christopher Hogan	October 1999	Issue Brief No. 22
Managed Care Backlash: Paul B. Ginsburg	October 1999	Journal of Health Policy, Politics and Law
Choosing To Be Uninsured: Peter J. Cunningham	October 1999
Health Spending: Paul B. Ginsburg	January/February 1999	Health Affairs
Wall Street Comes to Washington:	September 1999	Issue Brief No. 21
Wall Street Analysts Predict Several Years of Higher Health Plan Premiums	June 10, 1999	Conference Executive Summary
Fourth Annual Wall Street Comes to Washington:	June 9, 1999	Conference Transcript
Testimony Before the Senate Finance Committee	May 12, 1999
Wall Street Comes to Washington:	December 1998	Issue Brief No. 17
Public Health Departments Adapt to Medicaid Managed Care Rose Marie Martinez, Elizabeth Closter	November 1998	Issue Brief No. 16
Competition, Quality of Care and the Role of the Consumer Catherine G. McLaughlin, Paul B. Ginsburg	1998	The Milbank Quarterly
Trends in Offering Employer-Sponsored Coverage Stephen H. Long, M. Susan Marquis	Fall 1998	Data Bulletin No. 15
Trends in the Cost of Employer-Sponsored Coverage M. Susan Marquis, Stephen H. Long	Fall 1998	Data Bulletin No. 14
Despite Fears, Costs Rise Only Modestly in 1998	Fall 1998	Data Bulletin No. 13
How Widespread Is Managed Competition? Stephen H. Long, M. Susan Marquis	Summer 1998	Data Bulletin No. 12
Tracking Health Care Costs: Paul B. Ginsburg, Jon R. Gabel	September/October 1998	Health Affairs
CHIPing Away at the Problem of Uninsured Children James D. Reschovsky, Peter J. Cunningham	October 1998	Research Report No. 02
CHIPing Away at the Problem of Uninsured Children James D. Reschovsky, Peter J. Cunningham	August 1998	Issue Brief No. 14
Health System Change in 1997 Paul B. Ginsburg	July/August 1998	Health Affairs
The Role of Employers in Community Health Care Systems Jon B. Christianson	July/August 1998	Health Affairs
Growth of Medicaid-Dominated HMOs	Spring 1998	Data Bulletin No. 11
Next Steps in Incremental Health Insurance Expansions: Peter J. Cunningham	April 1998	Issue Brief No. 12
More Small Firms Offer Health Insurance but Fewer Employees Enroll	Winter 1998	Data Bulletin No. 10
Trends in Managed Care Coverage in Small Firms	Winter 1998	Data Bulletin No. 09
Tracking Small-Firm Coverage, 1989-1996 Paul B. Ginsburg, Jon R. Gabel, Kelly A. Hunt	January/February 1998	Health Affairs
Choosing a Health Plan: Judith Hibbard, Jacquelyn Jewett, Mark W. Legnini, Martin Tusler	November/December 1997	Health Affairs
Uninsurance Rates Vary Widely Across Communities and Regions Peter J. Cunningham, Jeremy D. Pickreign	Fall 1997	Data Bulletin No. 05
Small Employers and Their Health Benefits, 1988-1996: Jon R. Gabel, Paul B. Ginsburg, Kelly A. Hunt	September/October 1997	Health Affairs
Changes in Health Plans Serving Medicaid, 1993-1996 Suzanne Felt-Lisk, Sara Yang	September/October 1997	Health Affairs
Tracking Health Care Costs: Paul B. Ginsburg, Jeremy D. Pickreign	July/August 1997	Health Affairs
Health Care Costs:	June 1997	Issue Brief No. 10
Patients, Profits and Health System Change:	May 1997	Issue Brief No. 09
The Dynamics of Market Level Change Paul B. Ginsburg	April 1997	Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law
Tracking Health Care Costs:	January 1997	Issue Brief No. 06
Tracking Health Care Costs Paul B. Ginsburg, Jeremy D. Pickreign	Fall 1996	Health Affairs
A Primer on Understanding Health Care Cost Trends:	December 1996	Issue Brief No. 05
Policy Implications of Risk Selection in Medicare HMOs: Heidi H. Whitmore	November 1996	Issue Brief No. 04
Medicaid Eligibility Policy and the Crowding-Out Effect:	October 1996	Issue Brief No. 03
Snapshots of Change in Fifteen Communities: Paul B. Ginsburg	Summer 1996	Health Affairs
Snapshots of Change in Fifteen Communities: Debra J. Lipson, Jeanne M. De Sa	Summer 1996	Health Affairs
Health System Change: Paul B. Ginsburg, Joy M. Grossman	Winter 1995	Health Affairs
x