Recent publications from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), on measures of health insurance and social safety net coverage:
1) Reaching the Remaining Uninsured: An Evidence Review on Outreach and Enrollment (10/1)
https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/reaching-remaining-uninsured-outreach-enrollment
This Issue Brief reviews evidence on factors affecting enrollment in health coverage among uninsured populations, including take-up of Medicaid and subsidized Marketplace plans among eligible individuals. In addition, it discusses barriers faced by individuals trying to enroll in health coverage and evidence on the impacts of various outreach strategies and consumer assistance on helping uninsured people gain coverage.
2) Tracking Health Insurance Coverage in 2020-2021 (10/29)
https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/tracking-health-insurance-coverage
Federal surveys relied on by researchers and policymakers for estimates of the uninsured population have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, potentially influencing the accuracy of their estimates. This report analyzes evidence from a variety of data sources, including surveys and administrative data, which collectively indicate that the number of uninsured people in the U.S. did not change substantially during the first 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results also suggest that Medicaid and Marketplace enrollment have continued to grow in 2021, playing an important role in preventing widespread coverage loss during the pandemic.
3) Assessing Uninsured Rates in Early Care and Education Workers (11/19)
https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/assessing-uninsured-rates-early-care-education-workers
This Data Point presents current estimates of uninsured rates among early care and education workers (ECE), which includes individuals employed by Head Start, childcare center providers, and preschools. These populations have lower incomes on average and often lack access to benefits, including health coverage, commonly received by teachers in the K-12 system and post-secondary schools.
4) Participation in the U.S. Social Safety Net: Coverage of Low-income Families, 2018 (11/24)
https://aspe.hhs.gov/reports/participation-us-social-safety-net-coverage-low-income-families-2018
Participation in the social safety net varies widely across programs—from 15 percent among eligibles for subsidized child care (CCDF) to over 75 percent for Medicaid/CHIP and EITC. Participation differs by race and ethnicity, yet patterns are not consistent. In general rates differ more across programs than between race-ethnic groups. In 2018, entitlement benefits (child support, EITC, Medicaid/CHIP, SNAP, and SSI) had participation rates above 50 percent, whereas the four non-entitlement programs (CCDF, housing assistance, LIHEAP, and TANF) had rates below 30 percent.
