Number of Children Without Health Insurance Continues To Fall; Number of Uninsured Adults Remains Steady, Report Says

The number of children with health insurance increased in the first half of last year, but about 7.2 million remain uninsured, according to a report by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, the AP/Philadelphia Inquirer reports (Meckler, AP/Philadelphia Inquirer, 1/1). Based on preliminary data from the National Health Interview Survey, which is conducted annually, the report found that the percentage of children ages 17 and younger without health insurance dropped from 13.9% in 1997 to 9.8% in the first half of 2002 (HHS release, 12/31/02). The report also found that the percentage of children enrolled in private plans declined to 64.5% in the first half of 2002, from 67.1% in 2001, but enrollment in CHIP programs increased 22%, to 3.8 million children, during the same period. The percentage of children covered by either Medicaid or CHIP increased from 23.4% in 2001 to 27.2% last year, according to the findings (AP/Philadelphia Inquirer, 1/1). "More and more children are getting the health care they need, thanks in large measure to our success in working with states to expand health coverage through the SCHIP program," HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson said. "We are giving governors the flexibility they need to continue to expand coverage to more children, and our strategy is paying off for children and parents alike," he added. The survey also found that 39.4 million U.S residents under age 65 lacked health coverage, about the same number as in 2001 (HHS release, 12/31/02). The report is available online.