Meet ALICE: The Growing Population That Healthcare’s Safety Net Often Doesn’t Catch

As an industry, we often define financial hardship in terms of income and insurance status. But what we frequently overlook are the cost of necessities where people live, the types of jobs they have, and how these factors can be constantly in flux.

That’s where ALICE comes in. ALICE, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed, addresses a critical gap in our understanding of financial hardship. These households earn above the Federal Poverty Level but not enough to make ends meet. Considering they comprise nearly a third of U.S. households, and healthcare out-of-pocket costs continue to increase, it’s crucial for providers to understand this population to offer effective financial support.

In this episode of Cedar Talks, our Director of Research Jaya Birch-Desai speaks with Stephanie Hoopes, PhD and Ashley Anglin, PhD from United for ALICE, United Way of Northern New Jersey. As the principal researchers behind this national initiative, Stephanie and Ashley share insights on the research’s development, its healthcare implications, and the difference it’s making in communities across the country.

Watch the full episode

Conversation highlights

Who is ALICE?

It’s not an easy question to answer. Why? Because they’re not a monolithic group, which makes them challenging for providers to identify and support.

“A constant process of navigation”

Not only is ALICE diverse, but their situations are also constantly evolving. Connecting them with the right financial resources at the right time is especially critical.

What can providers do to help?

So much. But it’s not something that can be accomplished alone. Given the prevalence of ALICE households, it will take partnership and bold new solutions.

Want to dig deeper?

• Get to know the five ALICE archetypes in healthcare, including financial hardship indicators to watch and how providers can best support these patients.
  
• Visit United for ALICE for their latest research, case studies, and even county-level data that providers can leverage in their financial assistance workflows.
  
• Learn how Cedar is connecting patients to the coverage assistance and financial resources they need to make healthcare more affordable.

Ben Kraus is Director, Content Marketing at Cedar