Health Insurance

The health insurance policy measures examine policies that expand or increase health coverage. Health care costs can be some of the largest expenses faced by a household and often occur without warning. In fact, a study found that medical bills and other financial effects of illness contributed to nearly half of the more than one million personal bankruptcy filings in the United States last year. Despite the huge risk to family finances from medical emergencies, nearly 44 million Americans are without health insurance, and a large proportion of these are the working poor. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, more than one third of working families with incomes below 200% of the poverty level have no insurance coverage, and almost half of working families below 100% of poverty are uninsured.

Health insurance is a significant issue for our entire health care system, but its importance to asset protection cannot be overstated. Often, public policies to increase health coverage have been targeted to children without recognition of the impact on children when their parents are not covered-both in terms of health and household income. No matter what the household composition, though, health care costs can completely wipe out whatever assets an individual may have accrued as well as create staggering debt that can lead directly to bankruptcy.

State Childrens Health Insurance Program and Medicaid Expansion for Parents
Medicaid Expansion for Low-Income Adults Without Children
Transitional Medical Assistance