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Percentage of USA Population without Health Coverage Grew in 2005

August 29, 2006 - In "Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2005" published by the US Census Bureau in August 2006, a slightly larger percentage of the population was not covered by health insurance than in the previous year.

In some highlights from the insurance coverage of the report, it is noted that:

• The number of people with health insurance coverage increased from 245.9 million in 2004 to 247.3 million in 2005.31

• In 2005, 46.6 million people were without health insurance coverage, up from 45.3 million people in 2004.

• The percentage of people without health insurance coverage increased from 15.6 percent in 2004 to 15.9 percent in 2005.

• The historical record is marked by a 12-year period from 1987 to 1998 when the uninsured rate (12.9 percent in 1987) either increased or was not statistically different from one year to the next. After peaking at 16.3 percent in 1998, the rate fell for 2 years in a row to 14.2 percent in 2000. The rate then increased until 2003–2004, where it remained at 15.6 percent before it increased to 15.9 percent in 2005.

• The percentage of people covered by employment-based health insurance decreased between 2004 and 2005, from 59.8 percent to 59.5 percent.

• While the number of people covered by government health programs increased between 2004 and 2005, from 79.4 million to 80.2 million, the percentage of people covered by government health insurance remained at 27.3 percent. There was no statistical difference in the number or the percentage of people covered by Medicaid (38.1 million and 13.0 percent, respectively) between 2004 and 2005.

• The percentage and the number of children (people under 18 years old) without health insurance increased between 2004 and 2005, from 10.8 percent to 11.2 percent and from 7.9 million to 8.3 million, respectively. With an uninsured rate at 19.0 percent in 2005, children in poverty were more likely to be uninsured than all children.

• The uninsured rate and the number of uninsured remained statistically unchanged from 2004 to 2005 for non-Hispanic Whites (11.3 percent and 22.1 million) and for Blacks (19.6 percent and 7.2 million).

• The number of uninsured increased for Hispanics (from 13.5 million in 2004 to 14.1 million in 2005); their uninsured rate was not statistically different at 32.7 percent in 2005.

Type of Coverage

Most people (59.5 percent) were covered by a health insurance plan related to employment for some or all of 2005, a smaller proportion than in the previous year (59.8 percent). As the largest component of private health insurance coverage, this decline in employment-based coverage essentially explains the decrease in total private health insurance coverage, from 68.2 percent in 2004 to 67.7 percent in 2005 (Figure 6).

The number of people covered by government health programs increased between 2004 and 2005, from 79.4 million to 80.2 million, while the percentage of people covered by government health insurance was not statistically different at 27.3 percent. The percentage of people with Medicaid coverage (13.0 percent) and the percentage of people covered by Medicare (13.7 percent) both were not statistically different between 2004 and 2005.

Children’s Health Insurance Coverage The percentage and the number of children (people under 18 years old) without health insurance increased between 2004 and 2005, from 10.8 percent to 11.2 percent and from 7.9 million to 8.3 million, respectively (Table 8). The likelihood of health insurance coverage varied among children by poverty status, age, race, and Hispanic origin. Children in poverty were more likely to be uninsured than the population of all children in 2005—19.0 percent compared with 11.2 percent.

Children 12 to 17 years old were more likely to be uninsured than those under 12 years old—12.6 percent compared with 10.5 percent. An estimated 21.9 percent of Hispanic children did not have any health insurance in 2005, compared with 7.2 percent for non-Hispanic White children, 12.5 percent for Black children, and 12.2 percent for Asian children. 36 In 2005, the percentage of non-Hispanic White children covered by Medicaid was 18.0 percent; for Black children, 44.9 percent; for Asian children, 15.9 percent; and for Hispanic children, 39.3 percent.37

The report, pdf and 86 pages is currently at http://www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/p60-231.pdf

More information about the Census Burueau and the report, visit the Census Bureau Web site at www.census.gov.