Health Insurance Coverage Status for Adults Aged 18-64 by Selected Socio-demographic Characteristics, United States 2000-2006

Research Objective: This paper will examine changes in health insurance coverage status and changes in type of insurance coverage (public, private) from 2000 through 2006 among adults aged 18-64.

Background: There is much concern about healthcare access and utilization among adults aged 18-64. Previous research has shown that uninsured persons receive less medical care than persons with either private insurance or government-sponsored public health plans. Additionally, persons with comprehensive private health insurance have fewer barriers to care than persons with public health plans.

Study Methods: This study uses 2000-2006 data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which is a nationally representative survey of the U.S. civilian non-institutionalized population and is conducted as a face-to-face household interview. The NHIS uses a multistage probability sample. The survey is conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and fielded by the U.S. Census Bureau. The household response rate for the NHIS is about 88% over the seven-year study period. The NHIS item non-response rate for the health insurance questions has remained low over time: about 1%.

Analysis Plan: Bivariate analyses will be conducted to assess changes in health insurance coverage status from 2000 through 2006 among adults aged 18-64 stratified by age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, and income, with special emphasis on households below the 200% federal poverty level. Imputed income and poverty status indicators will be used. Within the insured population, changes in public and private health insurance by socio-demographic characteristics of adults aged 18-64 will be examined.

Preliminary Results: Univariate analyses indicate an increase in the uninsured population from 2000 (18.7%) to 2006 (20.0%), an increase in adults aged 18-64 with Medicaid from 2000 (5.0%) to 2006 (7.4%), and a decrease in adults aged 18-64 with private health insurance from 2000 (73.7%) to 2006 (69.1%).