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 after being in hawk-i for a year. 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 (19% before vs. 6% after),
• they were less likely to be delayed from getting needed care (32% before vs. 10% after),
• children were more likely to have 'always' received needed care for an illness or injury. (61% beore vs. 80% after).

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 (21% before vs.15% after),
• they were less likely to be delayed from getting specialty care (33% before vs. 15% after).

Emergency room care

After being in hawk-i for a year:

• fewer children had visits to the emergency room in the past year (40% before vs. 38% 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 (81% before vs. 88% after),
• they were less likely to be stopped from getting dental care (23% before vs. 8% after),
• they were less likely to be delayed from getting dental care (26% before vs. 9% after),
• they were more likely to have had a dental visit in past year (54%before vs. 71% 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), (60% before vs. 82% after)
• 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 (38% before vs. 14% 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 (39% before vs. 17% after),
• children had a similar need for prescription medicine, however,
• they were less likely to have been stopped from receiving prescription medicines (17% before vs. 8% after),

Health status

After being in hawk-i for a year:

• children's overall health status was rated higher (44% were rated in excellent health before vs. 50% after),
• more children's health was thought to be better than one year earlier (26% before vs. 31% after),
• children had fewer sick days in the previous 4 weeks (80% before without a sick day vs. 83% after),
• more than1 in 4 children with a chronic condition (28%) 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 96% 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 (57% worried 'a great deal' before vs. 19% after),
• the activities of significantly fewer children were limited because of the concerns about health care costs (25% before vs. 14% after),
• 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,
• more than one in four (29%) 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.