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Health Care Access and Use

New Research in ‘Medical Care Research and Review’ Finds Coverage Gaps Persisted Despite Historic Coverage Gains, and People Who Experienced Gaps Were Less Likely to Access Needed Health Care
In an article just published in Medical Care Research and Review, researchers at UMN SPH used MEPS-HC data to understand changes in patterns of insurance coverage, including transitions between sources, discontinuities (temporary or prolonged uninsurance), and the impact on health care access.
Looking Back at SHADAC/CHCF Publications as the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) Celebrates ‘30 Years of Impact’
2026 marks the 30th year of the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), what they call their “30 Years of Impact.” To honor CHCF’s 30th anniversary, this post will highlight a sample of SHADAC/CHCF projects spanning the last 10 years.
More Minnesotans Are Worried About Losing Health Insurance Coverage
The latest Minnesota Health Access Survey (MNHA) shows that 12.3% of insured Minnesotans are worried about losing health insurance coverage in 2025, a statistically significant increase from 2023. Top concerns include job loss, loss of eligibility, and affordability. Learn more in this blog.
Discrimination in Health Care Impacts Almost Half of Minnesotans, According to Findings from 2024 Minnesota Healthcare Experiences Survey
The 2024 Minnesota Healthcare Experiences Survey was fielded to gain a better understanding of Minnesotans’ experiences of discrimination in health care; nearly half of Minnesotans reported they experienced discrimination while seeking health care. Learn more key findings in the full blog.
How Does the U.S. Measure Child Vaccinations? A Look at the National Immunization Survey (NIS)—with New 2024 Data
How does the U.S. measure child vaccinations? This blog explains the development and data collection methods of the National Immunization Survey (NIS), how users can access the data, and provides a brief overview of the latest NIS data.
Broadband Expansion and the Digital Divide: Has There Been Progress in Expanding Access to Low-Income Households in the U.S.?
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of telehealth services and the crucial role of broadband internet subscriptions in making those services possible. In this blog, we look at variation in states’ progress on improving the share of households with home broadband internet services… Read more
What Is Telehealth vs Telemedicine vs Telecare? Differences, History, and the Impact of COVID-19
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth use has exploded. But what is telehealth? And what is telehealth vs telemedicine vs telecare? We explain the differences in this blog, along with discussion of the history of telehealth and the impact of COVID-19.
Unaffordable Health Care Costs: More U.S. Adults Forgo Care Due to Cost in 2024, Differences Seen by State, Insurance Coverage Type, Chronic Disease Status
Increasingly high and unaffordable health care costs can lead to forgoing medical care, which can impact overall health. This blog explores rates of forgone care due to cost over time, by state, and by subgroup using SHADAC’s State Health Compare.
Access to Affordable Mental Health Care in Minnesota: Study Shows Many Adults Experiencing Frequent Mentally Unhealthy Days and Facing Cost Barriers to Mental Health Care
In this blog, we use MNHA data to better understand access to mental health care and health care affordability in Minnesota. Our study's results suggest that individuals with unmet needs for mental health care in Minnesota may also have difficulty accessing it due to cost barriers.
What Are MOUD? A Review of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder, How They Work, and Issues with Access
What are MOUD? In this blog, we explore Medications for Opioid Use Disorder, reviewing a definition for OUD, a list of currently approved MOUD, how these medications work, and current barriers for their access and use.
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