Switching Health Insurance and Its Effects on Access to Physician Services (Medical Care)

This study examines the factors associated with discontinuous health insurance coverage without periods of uninsurance during the past year (ie, switching coverage), and whether it has a detrimental effect on basic access to care. Children and adults had disruptions in their basic access to health care when they experienced discontinuous insurance. These findings highlight the advantages of retention of enrollees as one means of promoting access to health care, in the short term, and the benefit of a continuous national health insurance program in the long term.

Publication Authors:

• Shana Charles, PhD, MPP
• Melissa S. Gatchell
• Ninez A. Ponce, PhD, MPP
• Y. Jenny Chia