HD20 - Degree of Health Insurance Coverage of the General Population of Virginia

  • Published: 1987
  • Author: State Corporation Commission
  • Enabling Authority: House Joint Resolution 83 (Regular Session, 1986)

Executive Summary:
The 1986 Session of the General Assembly requested, in House Joint Resolution No. 83, that the State Corporation Commission's Bureau of Insurance determine the degree of health insurance coverage of Virginia's population.

The resolution requested that the study include information on the employment status and income level of the uninsured as well as information about other factors that contribute to lack of health care coverage. Information was also requested about the population at risk of medical indigency.

Virginia Commonwealth University's Survey Research Laboratory (SRL) conducted the survey of the general population on behalf of the State Corporation Commission. The survey was initially drafted by State Corporation Commission staff and then refined by SRL. Modifications to the questionnaire were made based on the results of the pretesting of the questionnaire.

The results of the survey conducted of the general population reveal that 10% of Virginia's population are totally uninsured for health care. An additional 8% have some coverage but do not have comprehensive coverage. The combined 18% means that over one million Virginians lack adequate health coverage. In addition to the 18% of Virginians who have no coverage or who do not have comprehensive coverage, an additional three percent of the population are estimated to be at risk of medical indigency. The additional three percent of the population has fair or poor health and family incomes below $15,000. These individuals would probably not be able to absorb the additional costs of health care that are above the limits of their comprehensive coverage.

In an era of heart, lung, and kidney transplants and expensive operations requiring lengthy hospital stay, nearly every individual has the potential to be medically indigent. However, for 21% of Virginia's population the risk of indigency is pronounced.

Family income and type of employment are the key variables to health insurance coverage. Half of the individuals in Virginia's low income families are without comprehensive health coverage. This does not include those individuals who qualify for Medicaid and are therefore insured through a public program.

The results of this study will be used by the Governor's Task Force on Indigent Health Care Policy to assist the task force in its decision making.