New Census Report Provides Detailed Geographic and Demographic Analysis of the Uninsured in the U.S.

A new report from the Census Bureau provides a detailed analysis of the uninsured population in the U.S., providing breakdowns by state, county, and demographic groups, the Denver Rocky Mountain News reports. For the study, researchers at the bureau's Small Area Health Insurance Estimates division used 2005 data from all states across gender, age and income. According to the Rocky Mountain News, the report is the most wide-ranging estimate the Census Bureau has published on the rates of uninsured U.S. residents (Poppen, Denver Rocky Mountain News, 10/8).

According to the report, about 16% of U.S. residents did not have health insurance in 2005. Nationally, Minnesota and Hawaii had the lowest uninsured rates in 2005 at 9.5% and 9.7%, respectively, followed by Wisconsin at 10.3% (Posten, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10/8). The study also found Florida, New Mexico and Texas had the three highest rates of uninsured residents younger than age 65. In addition, the report found that states have wide variances between racial-ethnic groups, the Miami Herald reports. Mississippi and Texas had greater shares of uninsured Hispanic residents, while Montana and Oklahoma had higher rates of uninsured white residents.

The Census Bureau noted that previous data gathered in 2000 were not applicable because the researchers used a different method to gather the data in 2005 (Dorschner, Miami Herald, 10/9).

The report is available online.