Chartbook on Access to Health Care

• Health insurance facilitates entry into the health care system. Uninsured people are less likely to receive medical care and more likely to have poor health status (Healthy People 2020). 
• Public health insurance—includes Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), State-sponsored or other government-sponsored health plans, Medicare, and military plans. 
• A small number of people were covered by both public and private plans and were included in both categories.

Health Insurance Measures

• Adults ages 18-64 who were uninsured at the time of interview, 2000-2014 (January-June).
• People without health insurance coverage at the time of interview, by age, 2010-2014 (January-June).
• Adults ages 18-64 who were uninsured at the time of interview, by race/ethnicity, January 2010-June 2014.
• Adults ages 18-64 without health insurance at the time of interview, by region, January-June 2014.
• Adults ages 18-64 with private health insurance coverage, by age, January 2010-June 2014.

Trends in Percentage of Uninsured Adults

Adults ages 18-64 who were uninsured at the time of interview, 2000-2014 (January-June) 

Data Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2000-2014, Family Core Component.

Note: For this measure, lower rates are better. Data only available for 2014 quarters 1 and 2.

Trends:

• From 2000 to 2010, the percentage of adults ages 18-64 who reported they were without health insurance coverage at the time of interview increased from 18.7% to 22.3%.
• From 2010 to 2013, the percentage without health insurance decreased from 22.3% to 20.4%. During the first half of 2014, the percentage without health insurance decreased to 15.6%.

Trends in Percentage of Uninsured People Ages 0-64

People without health insurance coverage at the time of interview, by age, 2010-2014 (January-June) 

Key: Q = quarter.

Data Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2010-2014, Family Core Component.

Note: For this measure, lower rates are better. Data only available for 2014 quarters 1 and 2. 

Trends:

• For adults ages 18-29, the percentage uninsured at the time of interview decreased from 32% in 2010 Q3 to 19.8% in 2014 Q2.
• For adults ages 30-64, the percentage uninsured at the time of interview decreased from 20% in 2010 Q2 to 18.7% in 2013 Q2, then decreased again to 14.1% in the second quarter of 2014.

Trends in Uninsurance Disparities

Adults ages 18-64 who were uninsured at the time of interview, by race/ethnicity, January 2010-June 2014 

Key: Q = quarter.

Data Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2010 -2014, Family Core Component.

Note: For this measure, lower rates are better. Data only available for 2014 quarters 1 and 2 White and Black are non-Hispanic. Hispanic includes all races.

Trends:

• Hispanic adults ages 18-64 were significantly more likely to be uninsured from January 2010 to June 2014. The percentage peaked in the second quarter of 2010 at 44.9%, then significantly decreased to 33.2% for the second quarter of 2014. 
• All racial/ethnic groups displayed a decrease from 2013 Q4 to 2014 Q2: 
  • White: 14.0% to 11.1%. 
  • Black: 24.6% to 15.9%. 
  • Hispanic: 40.3% to 33.2%.

Adults Without Health Insurance, by Region

Adults ages 18-64 without health insurance at the time of interview, by region, January-June 2014 

Data Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2014, Family Core Component.

Note: For this measure, lower rates are better. Regions are based on a subdivision of the four census regions (South, West, Northeast, and Midwest) into nine divisions.ⁱ For this report, the nine census divisions were modified by moving Delaware, the District of Columbia, and Maryland into the Middle Atlantic Division. Estimates for 2014 are based on data collected from January through June. Data are based on household interviews of a sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population. 

Geographic Variation:

• The percentage of uninsured adults ages 18-64 was significantly lower than the national average of 17% in the New England, Middle Atlantic, East North Central, and West North Central regions. The percentage of uninsured adults was significantly higher in the West South Central and South Atlantic regions. 

Trends in Private Insurance Among Adults

Adults ages 18-64 with private health insurance coverage, by age, January 2010-June 2014 

Key: Q = quarter.

Data Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Interview Survey, 2010-2014, Family Core Component. 

Trends:

• The percentage of adults ages 18-29 with private health insurance was lowest in 2010 Q3 (52.2%) and highest in 2014 Q2 (62.2%).

^i. States in each region follow: 

• New England region: CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, and VT. 
• Middle Atlantic region: DE, DC, MD, NJ, NY, and PA. 
• East North Central region: IL, IN, MI, OH, and WI. 
• West North Central region: IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, and SD. 
• South Atlantic region: FL, GA, NC, SC, VA, and WV. 
• East South Central region: AL, KY, MS, and TN. 
• West South Central region: AR, LA, OK, and TX. 
• Mountain region: AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, and WY. 
• Pacific region: AK, CA, HI, OR, and WA.

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