New data on the uninsured population released

AORN Journal, Sept, 2005

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has released findings from the 2004 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) that provide data on people who were uninsured during the first part of 2004, according to an Aug 9, 2005, news release from AHRQ. The report includes detailed breakdowns by subpopulation groups. These breakdowns are intended to help policy makers and others understand health insurance status in detail

According to the 2004 survey, insurance coverage for adults younger than age 65 is broken down as follows by subpopulation group.

* White non-Hispanics make up 65% of the US population and nearly 50% of the uninsured. Approximately one in seven whites was uninsured, and 10% had only public insurance.

* Hispanics make up 15% of the US population and nearly 29% of the uninsured. More than one in three Hispanics was uninsured, and 25% had only public health insurance.

* Black non-Hispanics made up nearly 13% of the population and nearly 15% of the uninsured. Approximately one in five blacks was uninsured and 28% had only public insurance.

Additional MEPS data from the first part of 2004 show the following.

* For the population younger than age 65, 19% (48 million) were estimated to be without health insurance.

* For children younger than 18 years of age, nearly 12% (8.5 million) were uninsured, and Hispanics constituted 36% of this group.

* Young adults aged 19 to 24 were at greatest risk of being uninsured, with 35% having no insurance coverage. This Lack of coverage was worst for young Hispanic adults, with 56% uninsured.

AHRQ Issues New Data on the Uninsured (news release, Rockville, Md: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Aug 9, 2005).