Skip navigation to content
eriu: Economic Research Initiative on the Uninsured Initiating and disemminating research to spark new policy discussion on health coverage issues.
2001 All Year Data 2001 Point in Time Data 2001 Ever During Year Data 2002 All Year Data 2002 Point in Time Data 2002 Ever During Year 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 1 - SIPP
Non Elderly Population
Calendar Year 2002 - Uninsured Ever During the Year
Characteristic
Population (Millions)
Distribution of Population
Uninsured (Millions)
Distribution of Uninsured
Uninsured Rate
TOTAL
250.1
100.0%
68.4
100.0%
27.4%
GENDER
Men
124.6
49.8%
35.8
52.3%
28.7%
Women
125.6
50.2%
32.7
47.7%
26.0%
 
AGE
CHILDREN Under age 19
76.9
30.7%
21.7
31.7%
28.2%
 
Under age 6
23.6
9.4%
6.5
9.5%
27.7%
Age 6 to 11
24.3
9.7%
7.3
10.6%
29.9%
Age 12 to 18
29.0
11.6%
7.9
11.5%
27.2%
 
ADULTS Age 19-64
173.2
69.3%
46.8
68.3%
27.0%
 
Age 19-24
23.4
9.4%
10.8
15.7%
46.0%
Age 25-34
38.8
15.5%
13.3
19.5%
34.4%
Age 35-54
84.1
33.6%
18.4
26.8%
21.8%
Age 55-64
27.0
10.8%
4.3
6.3%
15.9%
 
RACE
White*
202.7
81.0%
51.7
75.5%
25.5%
Black*
33.6
13.4%
12.1
17.7%
36.2%
Asian/Pacific Islander
10.4
4.2%
3.2
4.7%
31.1%
American Indian
3.5
1.4%
1.4
2.1%
40.7%
 
HISPANIC ORIGIN
Hispanic
36.4
14.6%
18.5
27.0%
50.8%
Not Hispanic
213.7
85.4%
49.9
73.0%
23.4%
 
IMMIGRANT STATUS
US Native
142.7
87.8%
38.5
87.9%
27.0%
Immigrant citizen
8.1
5.0%
2.3
5.3%
28.9%
Immigrant non-citizen
11.7
7.2%
3.0
6.7%
25.3%
 
FAMILY WORK STATUS
2 or more full time
73.3
29.3%
16.1
23.6%
22.0%
Only 1 full time
117.0
46.8%
28.3
41.4%
24.2%
Only part time
28.9
11.5%
12.5
18.3%
43.4%
Only self employed
11.3
4.5%
4.4
6.4%
39.1%
No Workers
19.6
7.9%
7.0
10.3%
35.7%
 
WAGE/SALARY FOR PRIMARY EARNER
None
24.8
9.9%
10.2
14.9%
41.0%
Under $7/hour
17.1
6.8%
8.6
12.5%
50.1%
$7-$15/hour
86.6
34.6%
32.1
46.9%
37.0%
$15-$25/hour
64.3
25.7%
11.4
16.6%
17.7%
More than $25/hour
57.4
22.9%
6.3
9.2%
10.9%
 
FAMILY COMPOSITION
WITH CHILDREN
157.1
62.8%
44.1
64.4%
28.0%
 
1 Adult
25.9
10.4%
9.8
14.2%
37.6%
2 Married adults
113.8
45.5%
25.6
37.4%
22.5%
Other
17.4
7.0%
8.7
12.8%
50.2%
 
WITHOUT CHILDREN
93.0
37.2%
24.4
35.6%
26.2%
 
1 Adult
33.8
13.5%
11.7
17.0%
34.5%
2 Married adults
48.1
19.2%
8.0
11.7%
16.7%
Other
11.1
4.4%
4.7
6.9%
42.4%
 
INCOME (Poverty Level)
Under 100% FPL
29.2
11.7%
15.1
22.1%
51.8%
100 - 200 % FPL
48.4
19.3%
22.6
33.0%
46.7%
200 - 300% FPL
46.5
18.6%
14.5
21.1%
31.1%
300 - 400% FPL
40.2
16.1%
8.0
11.6%
19.8%
More than 400% FPL
85.9
34.3%
8.3
12.1%
9.6%
           
*Includes both Hispanic and Non Hispanic
 

The SIPP estimates are ERIU tabulations of data collected by the U.S.Census Bureau in the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) 2002 panel, which began in January 2002. The SIPP interviews respondents every four months during the life of the panel. The 2002 tabulations are based on responses that cover calendar year 2002. Respondents report whether they were covered by specific sources of public or private health insurance (Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, other public, employment-based private, other private health insurance). Respondents are considered uninsured if they respond “no” to all of the coverage options; they are not asked directly if they are uninsured. The “point in time” estimate reflects health insurance status for December 2002. The “all year uninsured” estimate includes those without health insurance for all 12 months. The “ever uninsured” includes those reporting no health insurance for at least one month and for as many as 12 months.

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 SIPP Data Source and Variables (PDF)