Summary of hawk-i Survey Results

This is a summary of the results of surveys conducted with parents comparing their children's health and health care experiences in the year prior to joining hawk-i with those while in hawk-i. It presents an estimate of the effect that providing hawk-i health insurance had on these previously uninsured children. Using standard statistical tests to evaluate differences in responses before and after hawk-i, the following was determined:

Medical care

After being in the hawk-i program for a year:

• children needed health care at rates similar to when they joined, however,
  
• they were less likely to be stopped from getting needed care (21% before vs. 6% after),
  
• they were less likely to be delayed from getting needed care (34% before vs. 10% after),
  
• there were more visits per child to a doctor's office or clinic,
  
• children were more likely to have 'always' received needed care for an illness or injury.

Specialty care

After being in hawk-i for a year:

• children needed to see a specialist at rates similar to when they joined, however,
• they were less likely to be stopped from getting specialty care (38% before vs. 13% after),
• they were less likely to be delayed from getting specialty care (39% before vs. 23% after).

Emergency room care

After being in hawk-i for a year:

• fewer children had visits to the emergency room in the past year (55% before vs. 62% after).

Dental care

After being in hawk-i for a year:

• children needed dental care at the same rate as when they joined, however,
• they were more likely to have a regular source of dental care, v they were less likely to be stopped from getting dental care (25% before vs. 8% after),
• they were less likely to be delayed from getting dental care (27% before vs. 9% after),
• they were more likely to have had a dental visit in past year (55%before vs. 69% after).

Preventive care

After being in hawk-i for a year:

• children were more likely to have 'always' received needed routine preventive care (e.g., physical exams or vaccinations),
• they were also as likely to receive anticipatory guidance (preventive counseling) as before they joined.

Other care

After being in hawk-i for a year:

• children had a similar need for vision care, however,
• they were less likely to have been stopped from receiving vision care (41% before vs. 15% after),
• children had a similar need for behavioral or emotional care, however,
• they were less likely to be stopped from receiving behavioral or emotional care (44% before vs. 15% after),
• children had a similar need for prescription medicine, however,
• they were less likely to have been stopped from receiving prescription medicines (20% before vs. 10% after),

Health status

After being in hawk-i for a year:

• children's overall health status was rated higher (43% were rated in excellent health before vs. 47% after),
• more children's health was thought to be better than one year earlier (26% before vs. 32% after),
• children had fewer sick days in the previous 4 weeks (74% before without a sick day vs. 82% after),
• 1 in 4 children with a chronic condition had the condition detected because of care provided while in the hawk-i program.

Impact on families

After being in hawk-i for a year:

• stress was reduced in 95% of families, - more than three quarters said it had reduced stress "a lot,"
• worry about the ability to pay for health care was reduced significantly,
• the activities of significantly fewer children were limited because of the concerns about health care costs,
• significantly more parents had health insurance one year after their children started on the hawk-i program.

Health plans

After being in hawk-i for a year:

• one in five children had to get a new personal doctor or nurse,
• one in four had a problem finding a personal doctor or nurse they were happy with,
• one in three did not know that their health plan had a help line they could call for assistance.