Listening to the Communities We Serve - Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky

Healthcare for Low-Income Underinsured & Uninsured

The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky conducted a series of workshops throughout the state to better understand the priority healthcare concerns of the Commonwealth.  Healthcare for low-income underinsured & uninsured was a top concern expressed in these workshops.

Facts

  • Nationwide in 2006, those without health insurance increased to 15.8% equal to 47 million people; children without health insurance: 8.7 million.1

  • 14% of Kentuckians are without health Insurance2

  • More than 8 out of 10 people who are uninsured are in working families.3

  • Non-Hispanic whites make up nearly ½ of the uninsured.3

  • Over 6 in 10 of all uninsured working adults are employed full-time throughout the year.4

  • Those living in poverty within Kentucky and do not have health insurance: 46% (equal to the national percentage).5

  • 9% of Kentucky children are uninsured vs. 12% nationally.6
  • According to a 2005 survey of Kentuckyhouseholds, 70% of uninsured did not seek care when sick, 20% insured did not seek care7

 

Leading Organizations

The AMA (American Medical Association) launched anational campaignfor the uninsured. Link to ads, presidential candidates’ views, reports & other resources

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Cover the Uninsured project provides news updates, free promotional materials, fact sheets, and information in Spanish

The Henry J. Kaiser Foundation website has a general page, Health Coverage & the Uninsured, and links to statehealthfacts.orgwith an interactive map with health stats on uninsured populations by state

USA Families’ website features publications and information about the uninsured & increasing coverage

Read about the uninsured and cancer from the American Cancer Society (ACS) and find out more about the ACS uninsured campaign

The Advocacy Action Network and the Kentucky Medicaid Consortium is a comprehensive list of member organizations endorsing quality, affordable, accessible healthcare

The Covering Kids and Families is a national project with an initiative in Kentucky

The Innovation Forum for the Uninsured will be held on April 17, 2008 at the Galt House, check our website soon for more information.                                                                                                                   


Useful Links


Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky: Initiative Highlights

Since 2004, the Foundation has made a number of Community Grants to non-profit organizations working to demonstrate various approaches to increasing access for low-income Kentuckians such as: Spanish speaker interpreters, community needs assessments, prevention services for the homeless, health navigators and advocacy for expanding KCHIP.

Each year the Foundation holds health policy forum.  In 2005 the Foundation, with the Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center held “Prescription for Change” a conference presenting the findings from The Kentucky Health Insurance Research Project.

In 2007 the Foundation awarded seven organizations “General Support for Health Advocacy Grants” that advocate on behalf of Kentucky’s most vulnerable residents including children and low-income adults and families. 

References

1 Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2006, U.S. Census Bureau, 2007

2Kaiser – State Health Facts Online: Kentucky:Health Insurance Coverage of the Total Population, states (2005-2006), U.S.(2006)

3 Uninsured Myths and Facts; Cover the Uninsured: Facts & Research, 2008

4Workers; Cover the Uninsured: Facts & Research, 2008

5Kaiser – State Health Facts Online: Kentucky: Health Insurance Coverage of Adults 19-64 Living in Poverty, 2006

6 Kaiser – State Health Facts Online: Kentucky: Health Insurance Coverage of Children 0-18, 2006

7A Profile of Kentucky’s Uninsured 2005