for Prevention

Health Brief Released: “Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care Among Women”

September-October 2017

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Cover of Women's Health Report
 
 

The Department of Public Health has released a health brief, Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care Among Women.

This 3-page brief, which examines data from four cycles of the Los Angeles County Health Survey, describes trends and disparities in health insurance coverage and access to care among women before and after implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

 

Key findings include:

  • The percent of uninsured among women 18-64 years in LA County decreased from 26% in 2011 to 10% in 2015.
  • During this period, over 80% of newly insured women obtained coverage through Medi-Cal.
  • Latinas experienced the largest decrease in the percent of uninsured from 41% in 2011 to 14% in 2015. However, they remain the race/ethnic group with the highest percent of uninsured.
  • Disparities in health insurance coverage decreased by race/ethnicity, poverty level, education level and Service Planning Area, likely attributable to the Medi-Cal expansion.
  • The percent of women who report difficulty accessing medical care decreased from 31% to 24% between 2011 and 2015, with Latinas and black women experiencing the largest decreases.
  • The percent of women lacking a regular source of care, an important indicator of health care access, however, did not decrease during this period.

 

Figure 1 from Women's Health Report

 

A chart from the brief is shown.

The full health brief, including the survey findings and a discussion of their implications, can be found here.

For more information about the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Office of Women’s Health visit their website:

http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/owh/index1.htm.

 

 

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Contact Information:

Office of Women's Health

County of Los Angeles
Department of Public Health

owh@ph.lacounty.gov

www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/owh


Rx for Prevention, 2017
September-October;7(3).


Published: September 22, 2017