(Circulation. 2000;102:e9030.)
© 2000 American Heart Association, Inc.
Cardiovascular News |
Cardiovascular News
Uninsured Numbers Drop
An increase in employment contributed to a 1.7 million person drop in the numbers of Americans without health insurance. This is the first decline since 1987, when the US Census Bureau began collecting health insurance data. The numbers of uninsured fell from 44.3 million in 1998 to 42.6 million in 1999. The percentage of US citizens without health insurance dropped from 16.5% in 1998 to 15.5% in 1999. This was again the first drop in percentage since 1987.
Experts attributed the decrease to a robust economy, with more people employed in jobs that provide health benefits, and new federal programs to increase insurance for children. No one knows whether the 1-year drop is part of a trend or if it is an anomaly. Diane Rowland, director of a commission on the uninsured funded by the Kaiser Family Foundation, told the Washington Post, "Nothing magical has happened to turn around the problem. The great concern is what will happen if the economy turns sour or we have a real recession, in which historically health insurance coverage has eroded."
Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico had the highest rates of uninsured
people, and Minnesota, Rhode Island, and Hawaii had the smallest
proportion. The rate of uninsured people dropped from 12% in 1998 to
11% in 1999. Among Hispanics, the rate of uninsured persons dropped 2
percentage points, from 35% in 1998 to 33% in 1999. The rate of
uninsurance among African-Americans, Asians, and Pacific Islanders was
21%. This rate did not change