CPS Health Insurance Definitions
The Census Bureau broadly classifies health insurance coverage as either Private (non-government) coverage or Government-sponsored coverage.
Private Health Insurance
Private health insurance is coverage by a health plan provided through an employer or union or purchased by an individual from a private health insurance company.
Employment-based plans
Employment-based health insurance is coverage offered through one’s own employment or a relative’s. It may be offered by an employer or by a union.
Own Employment-based plans
Own employment-based health insurance is coverage offered through one’s own employment and only the policyholder is covered by the plan.
Direct-purchase plans
Direct-purchase health insurance is coverage though a plan purchased by an individual from a private company.
Government Health Insurance
Government health insurance includes plans funded by governments as the federal, state, or local level. The major categories of government health insurance are medicare, medicaid, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), military health care, state plans, and the Indian Health Service.
Medicare
Medicare is the Federal program which helps pay health care costs for people 65 and older and for certain people under 65 with long-term disabilities.
Medicaid
Medicaid is a program administered at the state level, which provides medical assistance to the needy. Families with dependent children, the aged, blind, and disabled who are in financial need are eligible for Medicaid. It may be known by different names in different states.
SCHIP
SCHIP, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, is a program administered at the state level, providing health care to low-income children whose parents do not qualify for Medicaid. SCHIP may be known by different names in different states.
Military health care
Military health care includes TRICARE/CHAMPUS (Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services) and CHAMPVA (Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs), as well as care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
TRICARE/CHAMPUS
TRICARE or CHAMPUS is a military health care program for active duty and retired members of the uniformed services, their families, and survivors.
CHAMPVA
CHAMPVA is a medical program through which the Department of Veterans Affairs helps pay the cost of medical services for eligible veterans, veteran's dependents, and survivors of veterans.
VA
The Department of Veterans Affairs provides medical assistance to eligible veterans of the Armed Forces.
State-specific plan
Some states have their own health insurance programs for low-income uninsured individuals. These health plans may be known by different names in different states.
Indian Health Service*
Indian Health Service (IHS) is a health care program through which the Department of Health and Human Services provides medical assistance to eligible American Indians at IHS facilities. In addition, the IHS helps pay the cost of selected health care services provided at non-IHS facilities.
*After consulting with health insurance experts, the Census Bureau modified the definition of the population without health insurance in the Supplement to the March 1998 Current Population Survey, which collected data about coverage in 1997. Previously, people with no coverage other than access to the Indian Health Service were counted as part of the insured population. Subsequently, the Census Bureau has counted these people as uninsured. The effect of this change on the overall estimates of health insurance coverage was negligible.
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