Going bare: Trends in health insurance coverage, 1989 through 1996

Objectives. This study analyzed trends in health insurance coverage in the United Stares from 1989 through 1996. Methods. Data from annual cross-sectional surveys by the US Census Bureau w ere analyzed. Results. Between 1989 and 1996, the number of uninsured persons increased b y 8.3 million (90% confidence interval [CI] = 7.7, 8.9 million). In 1996, 4 1.7 million (90% CI = 40.9, 42.5 million) lacked insurance. From 1989 to 19 93, the proportion with Medicaid increased by 3.6 percentage points (90% CI = 3.1, 4.0), while the proportion with private insurance declined by 4.2 p ercentage points (90% CI = 3.7, 4.7). From 1993 to 1996 private coverage ra tes stabilized but did not reverse earlier declines. Consequently, the numb er uninsured continued to increase. The greatest increase in the population of insured was among young adults a ged 18 to 39 years; rates among children also rose steeply after 1992. Whil e Blacks had the largest percentage increase, Hispanics accounted for 36.4% (90% CI = 32.3%, 40.5%) of the increase in the number uninsured. From 1989 to 1993, the majority of the increase was among poor families. Since then, middle-income families have incurred the largest increase, Northcentral an d northeastern states had the largest increases in percent uninsured. Conclusions. Despite economic prosperity, the numbers and rates of the unin sured continued to rise. Principally affected were children and young adult s, poor and middle income families, blacks, and Hispanics.