Widowed or divorced older women with low incomes, those who are unemployed, and minority women are most likely to face problems gaining access to the health insurance market. Insurance programs need to be tailored to make it easier for older women to obtain the health coverage they need. The report examined the minimum monthly premiums for health insurance policies in 13 communities for women aged 55 to 64. Minority women share a disproportionate part of the burden. Among widowed or divorced women aged 55 to 64, 15.8 percent of whites are uninsured, compared to 25.1 percent of non-white women.
Minorities are also less likely to have private coverage than their white counterparts.
The greater reliance on public coverage by minority women can be explained by the disparity in income between minorities and whites. Many minority women simply cannot afford private coverage. Now that we know what barriers exist, programs and policies can work to increase older women's health coverage options, both at the local and national levels. In developing this report, Families USA analyzed data from the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey, gathered information on the premiums for insurance policies available in the 13 communities involved in Community Voices, and examined options for coverage for uninsured women in this age group. This has sparked a political furor resulting in DHHS' new Secretary Tommy Thompson re-opening public comment on the rule, currently due to go into effect on April 14.