Facts On Work Health Insurance Accessibility for Women

There has been a study from Kaiser Family Foundation that shows an alarming fact about healthcare for women. This study credited the Health Insurance and Mortality study among adults in the US as of 2009. It was found out that most women who do not have any insurance no longer bothered to submit themselves to routine tests and necessary check-up.

Most women would probably not get health insurance from work, unlike men. Of the millions of women included in the survey, the subjects ranging from 18 years to 64 years of age, more than half of them get health benefits from their own employer or from their husband’s employer. Sadly though, there are only between 30-40 percent of women insured through the company that they are working with, while for me, more than 40 percent are benefitting from their insurance at work.

In another comparison, around 24 percent of women receive health benefits through the job-based dependent care of their husbands. Men, on the other hand, comprise only about 14 percent of those receiving that kind of benefit. The disadvantage of this kind of coverage is that it heightens the danger of losing the health insurance in the event of the spouse’s unemployment, death, or when the couple files for divorce.

Statistics indicate that there are an estimated 19 million uninsured women, and about 17 million belonging to the low income bracket, who are currently enrolled in Medicaid. These numbers comprise roughly 75 percent of the entire Medicaid population. Normally, only women who are pregnant, disabled, or belonging below the federal poverty level can benefit from the services of Medicaid.

Indeed, there is an increasing inequality between men and women when it comes to healthcare and medical benefits.

Flicker Photo Credit: Israel Defense Forces