Browse by Topic: Polling and Surveys

Health Reform in Massachusetts: An Update as of Fall 2009

This report is the latest in a series by the Urban Institute analyzing the impact of the Massachusetts health reform law. Findings show that despite the state's economic recession Massachusetts has maintained record low levels of uninsured and access to needed health care has improved. Additionally, disparities in coverage and care have been eliminated or narrowed. Solid public support for the health reform law continues. This report is based on the 2009 Massachusetts Health Reform Survey (MHRS), which has tracked the impact of the law annually since 2006.

The Impacts of Health Reform for Women in Massachusetts

This policy brief based on data from the 2009 Massachusetts Health Reform Survey shows that women have achieved significant gains in insurance coverage and in access and use of health care since health reform was implemented in Massachusetts. The gains were particularly strong for subgroups of women who had lower levels of coverage and poorer access prior to reform, including lower-income women, women of minority race/ethnicity, and women without dependent children.

Accessing Children's Mental Health Services in Massachusetts: Workforce Capacity Assessment

This report is based on a survey of 1,982 mental health providers in Massachusetts including psychiatrists, psychiatric clinical nurse specialists, psychologists, social workers, mental health counselors, and marriage and family therapists. It estimates the need for childrens mental health services; assesses child and family mental health service delivery capacity; identifies variation in capacity, including variation by geography, linguistic ability, and cultural competence; and documents challenges to meeting current demand for services.

Who Seeks Emergency Care And Why?: Data From Massachusetts

This policy brief based on data from the 2008 Massachusetts Health Reform Survey shows that while health reform in Massachusetts has succeeded in increasing health insurance coverage and access to care, use of emergency departments by working-age residents remains high. Those seeking care in EDs 5/have trouble accessing care in other settings. They are less likely to use a doctors office or private clinic as their usual source of care and they are somewhat less likely to report having a place they usually go to (other than the ED) when they are sick or need advice about their health.

Health Insurance Coverage and the Uninsured in Massachusetts: An Update Based on 2005 Current Population Survey Data

This chartbook provides detailed estimates of health insurance coverage in Massachusetts. It uses the most recent information available (for calendar year 2005) from the Census Bureaus 2006 Annual Social and Economic Supplements to the Current Population Survey. It updates figures in an earlier chartbook that was released in 6/2005 Health Insurance Coverage and the Uninsured in Massachusetts.

The Uninsured in Massachusetts: An Opportunity for Leadership

Report on 2003 public opinion survey finds that most people in the Commonwealth strongly believe that everyone in the state should be able to get the health care they need and are supportive of a number of proposals to ensure this. However, the survey also finds numerous challenges to significant action at the state level and points to the need for strong leadership on this issue.