75% of Uninsured New York Adults Come from Working Families

Although public attention has focused on efforts to provide health coverage to uninsured children, the majority of uninsured New Yorkers are adults, according to a study released last week by the United Hospital Fund. Approximately 2.4 million of the estimated three million uninsured New Yorkers are between 19 and 64, and 75% of those are from families in which at least at least one member is employed. While the state has made "considerable progress" over the past four years to reduce the number of uninsured New York children, data shows that the rate of uninsured adults has remained the same. Significantly, the report, Coverage Trends Among New Yorkers, 1995-99, shows that 90% of the state's uninsured workers do not have access to health insurance through their employers. Overall, 20% of the state's nine million workers lack health insurance coverage (United Hospital Fund release, 8/15). The report is available online. For further information on state health policy in New York, visit State Health Facts Online.