Asset Protection

The asset protection measures in this grouping indicate the extent to which a state's residents, including low-income parents and children, are covered by either private or publicly provided health insurance. These measures are included in the Report Card because health insurance provides protection against the kind of large medical costs that can result in the loss or depletion of household assets. Research shows that medical costs are a major cause of bankruptcy. In a recent study of 1.1 million personal bankruptcies in 1999, 326,441 were directly caused by illness or injury to a family member, while substantial medical bills were a contributing factor in 267,575 cases.

While there are many forms of insurance that protect families and personal property, including health insurance, life insurance, and property insurance, the measures in this grouping include the most readily available insurance data, which is largely in the field of health insurance.

Employer-Provided Health Insurance
Uninsured Low-Income Children
Uninsured Low-Income Parents