What factors keep low-income workers from finding family health insurance?
First, low-wage workers are more likely than other workers to be employed in industries that do not offer benefits. They are also more likely to be part-time, or seasonal workers, who also do not have benefits. Studies show that there is a decline in employer-sponsored insurance, which is highest among poor and near-poor employees, those who work in small businesses and those who are under age 35. A majority of employees who are uninsured have no access to employer-sponsored insurance either because no one in their family works for a business that sponsors health benefits, or they are not eligible at work for health benefits. Do low-income workers have benefit options when an employer-sponsored health benefits plan is not available to them? Yes. Many states provide options in such cases. For instance, in Pennsylvania, workers may be eligible for the Pennsylvania adultBasic program, which, like CHIP, is offered through the Pennsylvania Insurance Department. To be eligible, an individual
