Commonwealth Fund Report Reveals ‘Critical Weakness’ in U.S. Health Insurance System

  • Nov 22, 2024

    Nearly one-quarter of adults in the U.S. are enrolled in health plans that are unaffordable and leave them in a potentially precarious financial position, according to a survey released on Nov. 21 from the Commonwealth Fund. Joseph Betancourt, M.D., the nonprofit foundation’s president, noted the results reveal “a critical weakness in the U.S. health insurance system.” And the report’s authors suggested policymakers could address the issue by expanding Medicaid eligibility in all states and permanently extending enhanced premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act exchange coverage. 

    The survey was conducted between March and June of this year via telephone and online interviews in English and Spanish with a nationally representative sample of 8,201 adults who were at least 19 years old. All told, 56% of the respondents had been insured all year and were not deemed to be underinsured, 12% were insured at the time of the study but had been uninsured at some point in the previous 12 months and 9% were uninsured.  

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  • Tim Casey

    Tim has been a reporter and editor for newspapers, websites and magazines for more than 20 years, including 10 years covering health care business topics. He has a deep knowledge of the managed care industry and pharmacy benefit management. He also has experience covering medical conferences and clinical and legislative health care issues. In 2014, the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing selected Tim as one of 15 journalists to participate in a national symposium on the Affordable Care Act. Tim has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame and an M.B.A. from Georgetown University.

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