This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) sometimes gets a bad rap as cut-rate coverage for the poor.
But the government safety nets enjoy higher approval ratings than employer-based health plans, according to a federal poll of 1,936 families with low income.
Seven in 10 parents from poor households surveyed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) say Medicaid and CHIP are "very" or "somewhat" good. Sixty-six percent say they are "very satisfied" with the state-federal programs, compared with 48 percent who say the same for employer-based coverage.
Drill deeper and public programs still outperform private plans, whether it's for ease of finding a doctor and making an appointment or for the quality of care delivered, the poll found.
The findings debunk myths and show how Medicaid and CHIP provide "high quality care and peace of mind for families," said CMS chief Donald Berwick in a prepared statement.
The annual survey drives consumer-oriented improvements to the programs, such as a nationwide push to move to online applications.
Medicaid and CHIP rolls swelled during the recession and are set to expand again under federal health reform. Come 2014, single adults earning $14,500 a year or less will be eligible.
The poll was done in the spring in English and Spanish and has a 2.2 percent margin of error.
All of those questioned were from households with incomes below 250 percent of the federal poverty level, or $55,875 annually for a family of four. One-third were uninsured or had been insured at some point over the past year; another third had a child enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP; and another third had employer-based coverage.
Twitter: @kirstendstewart v—
Other findings
The median household income for parents of children with employer coverage is $44,820 per year. For parents of kids on public plans, the median annual household income is $25,400.
Nearly half (46 percent) of parents with children covered through an employer plan are "somewhat" or "very" concerned about their employer dropping coverage in a year or two.
Top barriers to enrollment in public plans are concerns about cost, income eligibility and the application process.
Read the full survey > http://1.usa.gov/vGA9Td