HEALTH INSURANCE ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH SEVERE DISABILITIES

PEOPLE WITH SEVERE DISABILITIES OFTEN FACE OBSTACLES HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE. SOME OBSTACLES ARE STRUCTURAL. FOR EXAMPLE, PRIVATE INSURERS SEEK TO EXCLUDE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKELY TO INCUR HIGHER HEALTHCARE COSTS. PUBLIC PROGRAMS HAVE WAITING PERIODS AND RESTRICTIONS. THE AVAILABILITY OF BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC INSURANCE COVERAGE IS LINKED TO ECONOMIC AND EMPLOYMENT STATUS AND TO STATE OF RESIDENCE. HOWEVER, ONE NON-STRUCTURAL OBSTACLE TO ACCESS IS A LACK OF INFORMATION. CONSUMERS ARE OFTEN UNAWARE OF HOW TO SHOP EFFECTIVELY FOR INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP INSURANCE, AND THERE IS NO SINGLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION ON PUBLIC PROGRAMS. THIS PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO FILL THAT GAP. DURING PHASE I, WE WILL CREATE DRAFTS OF A CONSUMER GUIDE AND A FACT BOOK. THE GUIDE DESCRIBES AVAILABLE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PROGRAMS AND PROVIDES INFORMATION ON SHOPPING FOR AND EVALUATING COVERAGE. THE FACT BOOK IS AN OVERVIEW OF PROGRAMS AND RESEARCH ON THE SUBJECT. DURING PHASE II, WE WILL TRANSFORM THE DRAFTS INTO A USER-FRIENDLY CONSUMER PRODUCT IN ONE OR MORE ALTERNATIVE FORMATS (PRINT, AUDIO, VIDEO) APPROPRIATE FOR VARIOUS POPULATIONS. WORK WILL INCLUDE ADDITIONAL RESEARCH ON STATE-SPECIFIC PROGRAMS, CIRCULATION OF DRAFTS FOR REVIEW, AND REVISIONS TO MAKE THE GUIDE USEFUL, ACCESSIBLE, AND CONSISTENT WITH LEGISLATIVE/JUDICIAL DEVELOPMENTS.