The Health Coverage Crisis in Direct-Care

Download the report (pdf 1.9MB)

Report Shows High Rates of Injury, Inadequate Health Coverage May Result in Caregiver Shortage

As part of National Women’s Health Week, PHI’ Health Care for Health Care Workers Campaign will deliver a sobering report -– Invisible Care Gap: Caregivers without Health Coverage — on the health insurance status of our nation’s caregiving workforce, 90% of which is female. Based on the most recent data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census and Bureau of Labor Statistics, the report reveals that:

• Nurse aides have the highest rates of workplace injuries and illnesses in the country, making it America’s most dangerous job.
• Nearly 30% of direct-care workers have no health insurance coverage, twice the rate of the general population.
• The country’s fastest-growing workforce—jobs providing in-home personal care services—is the least likely to have health coverage.
• Direct-care wages are so low (median hourly wage of $9.56/hr) that nearly 30% live in or near poverty and few can afford high cost of insurance premiums.
  

Norman DeLisle, MDRC
"With Liberty and Access for All!"
GrandCentral: 517-589-4081
MDRC Website: http://www.copower.org/
LTC Blog: http://ltcreform.blogspot.com/
Recovery: http://therecoveringlife.blogspot.com/
Change: http://prosynergypsc.blogspot.com/