FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, September 28, 1998 Public Information Office CB98-172 301-457-3030/301-457-3670 (fax) **REVISED** 301-457-4067 (TDD) e-mail: pio@census.gov Robert Bennefield 301-457-3242 Number of Americans Without Health Insurance Coverage Increases in 1997, Census Bureau Reports An estimated 43.4 million people in the United States had no health insurance coverage in 1997, an increase of 1.7 million from the previous year, according to a report released today by the Commerce Department's Census Bureau. About one-half, or 49.2 percent (2.6 million), of poor full-time workers were uninsured in 1997, down from 52.2 percent in 1996. (The embargoed report, "Health Insurance Coverage: 1997," P60-202, and tabulations may be accessed at <http://www.census.gov/dcmd/www/embargo/ embargo.html>. Call the Public Information Office to obtain access information. After the release time, go to http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/hlthin97.html.) "Groups most likely to be without health insurance coverage include young adults between the ages of 18 to 24, persons of Hispanic origin, those with lower levels of education, part-time workers and persons who are foreign born," said Robert Bennefield, the report's author. The share of the population without health insurance increased from 15.6 percent in 1996 to 16.1 percent in 1997. Health care coverage of children remained unchanged in 1997 10.7 million children under 18 years of age (15.0 percent of all children) were uninsured. Other highlights from the report: Medicaid notwithstanding, 11.2 million poor people, nearly one-third (31.6 percent) of all poor people, had no health insurance in 1997. People of Hispanic origin were the most likely among race and ethnic groups to be without coverage throughout 1997. The uninsured rate for Hispanics was 34.2 percent, compared with 12.0 percent for non-Hispanic Whites. Among the poor, African Americans and non-Hispanic Whites had the lowest uninsured rates (27.4 percent and 29.0 percent, respectively); many poor African Americans were covered by Medicaid. Based on comparisons of two-year averages (1996-97 versus 1995-96), noncoverage rates fell in five states (Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Vermont) and rose in 16 (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah and West Virginia). Among the general population of 18-to-64 year olds, full- and part-time workers, were more likely to be insured than nonworkers. Among the poor, however, workers were less likely to be insured than nonworkers. In 1997, the percentage of people without health insurance ranged from 8.1 percent for people in households with incomes of $75,000 or more to 25.4 percent for those in households with incomes of less than $25,000. Data are from the March 1998 Current Population Survey. As in all surveys, the data are subject to sampling variability and other sources of error.-X-The Census Bureau pre-eminent collector and provider of timely, relevant and quality data about the people and economy of the United States. In more than 100 surveys annually and 20 censuses a decade, evolving from the first census in 1790, the Census Bureau provides official information about America's people, businesses, industries and institutions.
