
The Commonwealth Fund | H Sorensen/Getty
Burdens associated with enrolling in a public program can substantially depress take-up among eligible individuals. The more time-consuming it is for a person to learn how and when to apply for coverage, the more steps they must take to enroll, the more challenging it is to complete application paperwork and submit documentation, and the more frequently enrollees must repeat these tasks to reestablish eligibility — the less likely it is that people will have coverage, even though they are eligible.