ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Wisconsin currently has a 6.4% uninsured rate. In Milwaukee, it is not known what proportion of the currently uninsured may be eligible for health insurance and why those eligible have not enrolled. METHODS: Anonymous surveys were distributed at a free/low-cost health clinic in Milwaukee to ask their attendees why they remain uninsured. RESULTS: Fifty-one percent of respondents cited insurance being "too expensive" as the primary reason for lacking health insurance. Additionally, 56% of respondents appeared to misunderstand their Medicaid eligibility, while 69% appeared to misunderstand their Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace eligibility. DISCUSSION: A majority of respondents misunderstood their eligibility for ACA subsidies, indicating that additional efforts are needed to educate uninsured Milwaukee residents to maximize health insurance coverage.
