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eriu: Economic Research Initiative on the Uninsured Initiating and disemminating research to spark new policy discussion on health coverage issues.
2001 Data 2002 Data 2003 Data 2004 Data 2005 Data  
Fast Facts
 
   
Facts to Consider
 
 
Counting the Uninsured by Reference Period
All Year
Ever in Year
Point in Time
By Data Source
CPS
MEPS
SIPP
By Population
Total Non-Elderly
Adults
Children
Workers
Immigrants
By Additional Characteristics

Income
Education Level
Family Composition

Comparison Tables
CPS-SIPP
CPS-MEPS
Medical Utilization and
Expenditures Tables
 
Notes on Data Sources
and Variables
CPS
MEPS
SIPP
Data Dictionary
 
Table 2 - CPS
Adult Population (Age 19-64)
Calendar Year 2002
Characteristic
Population (Millions)
Distribution of Population
Uninsured (Millions)
Distribution of Uninsured
Uninsured Rate
TOTAL
174.4 100% 34.0 100% 19.5%
GENDER          
Men
85.9 49.2% 18.4 54.0% 21.4%
Women
88.6 50.8% 15.6 46.0% 17.7%
           
AGE          
ADULTS age 19-64 174.4 100% 34.0 100% 19.5%
           
Age 19-24
23.5 13.5% 7.4 21.6% 31.4%
Age 25-34
39.2 22.5% 9.8 28.7% 24.9%
Age 35-54
84.3 48.3% 13.4 39.3% 15.9%
Age 55-64
27.4 15.7% 3.5 10.3% 12.8%
           
RACE          
White*
141.6 81.2% 25.7 75.7% 18.2%
Black*
21.0 12.0% 5.4 16.0% 25.9%
Asian/Pacific Islander
8.3 4.7% 1.9 5.5% 22.8%
American Indian
1.4 0.8% 0.5 1.4% 34.5%
Biracial
2.2 1.3% 0.5 1.4% 21.4%
           
HISPANIC ORIGIN          
Hispanic
23.3 13.4% 9.4 27.7% 40.4%
Not Hispanic
151.1 86.6% 24.6 72.3% 16.3%
           
IMMIGRANT STATUS          
US Native
148.0 84.8% 24.2 71.3% 16.4%
Immigrant citizen
9.7 5.6% 2.1 6.2% 21.7%
Immigrant non-citizen
16.7 9.6% 7.7 22.5% 45.9%
           
EDUCATION          
Less than HS
22.5 12.9% 9.1 26.8% 40.6%
HS only
54.3 31.1% 12.4 36.5% 22.9%
Some post-HS
51.0 29.2% 8.1 23.8% 15.9%
4-year college degree or more
46.7 26.8% 4.4 12.9% 9.4%
           
INDIVIDUAL WORK STATUS (Point in Time)          
Full Time
91.9
52.7%
13.2
38.8%
14.4%
Part Time
23.2
13.3%
5.5
16.3%
23.8%
Self-Employed
13.9
8.0%
3.6
10.5%
25.7%
Not Working
45.4
26.0%
11.7
34.4%
25.8%
           
INDIVIDUAL WORK STATUS (Annual)          
EMPLOYED FULL YEAR 99.1 56.8% 14.5 42.7% 14.6%
           
Full time
88.7 50.9% 12.0 35.4% 13.6%
Part time
10.4 5.9% 2.5 7.3% 23.9%
           
EMPLOYED PART YEAR 28.2 16.2% 7.3 21.3% 25.7%
           
Full Time
18.5 10.6% 4.9 14.5% 26.7%
Part time
9.8 5.6% 2.3 6.9% 23.9%
           
SELF EMPLOYED 13.3 7.6% 3.5 10.3% 26.4%
DID NOT WORK 33.8 19.4% 8.7 25.7% 25.9%
           
FAMILY WORK STATUS          
2 or more full time
50.5 29.0% 7.3 21.6% 14.5%
Only 1 full time
80.5 46.1% 14.3 42.1% 17.8%
Only part time
12.7 7.3% 3.8 11.2% 30.1%
Only self employed
9.4 5.4% 2.8 8.2% 29.9%
No Workers
21.4 12.3% 5.7 16.9% 26.8%
           
WAGE/SALARY FOR PRIMARY EARNERS          
No wage earner
14.0 8.0% 3.7 10.9% 26.6%
Under $7/hour
13.8 7.9% 6.3 18.4% 45.6%
$7-$15/hour
52.3 30.0% 14.5 42.6% 27.7%
$15-$25/hour
49.9 28.6% 5.8 17.0% 11.6%
More than $25/hour
44.4 25.5% 3.8 11.1% 8.5%
           
FAMILY COMPOSITION          
WITH CHILDREN 78.6 45.1% 14.3 42.0% 18.2%
           
1 Adult
10.9 6.3% 2.7 7.9% 24.6%
2 Married adults
59.5 34.1% 8.7 25.6% 14.7%
Other
8.3 4.7% 2.9 8.5% 34.7%
           
WITHOUT CHILDREN 95.8 54.9% 19.7 58.0% 20.6%
           
1 Adult
34.2 19.6% 8.2 24.1% 24.0%
2 Married adults
50.2 28.8% 7.6 22.5% 15.2%
Other
11.5 6.6% 3.9 11.5% 34.0%
           
INCOME (Poverty Level)          
Under 100% FPL
18.3 10.5% 7.8 22.9% 42.6%
100 - 200 % FPL
26.5 15.2% 9.5 28.1% 36.0%
200 - 300% FPL
28.4 16.3% 6.6 19.3% 23.1%
300 - 400% FPL
25.3 14.5% 3.7 11.0% 14.7%
More than 400% FPL
75.9 43.5% 6.4 18.7% 8.4%
           
*Includes both Hispanic and Non Hispanic
 

These estimates are based on ERIU tabulations of data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau through the 2003 Current Population Survey (CPS) Annual Social and Economic Supplement (formerly called the Annual Demographic Supplement, or the March Supplement). CPS estimates of the uninsured are intended to represent persons who are uninsured throughout the calendar year. A person is considered insured if they were covered at any time during that calendar year; individuals insured for only one month are counted as insured. CPS estimates of the uninsured should be interpreted with caution. Respondents are asked to report on a time period that begins roughly 15 months prior to the time of the interview. Some respondents are likely to have trouble remembering back this far, while others may be confused by the time frame and respond instead about current coverage status. Studies that have examined and compared CPS estimates with data from other surveys, such as the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) and the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), suggest that CPS estimates of the uninsured are much closer to “point in time” than true full-year estimates.

For further discussion of issues related to counting the uninsured see "Counting and Characterizing the Uninsured," (Adobe PDF) by Pamela Farley Short, and ERIU Research Highlight 1: A Revolving Door: How Individuals Move In and Out of Health Insurance Coverage (Adobe PDF)

Notes on CPS Data Source and Variables (PDF)