Statistics on Health Insurance Coverage

Health insurance in America is a topic of ongoing debate in both political in social circles. Conversation often focuses on the cost of coverage and the demographics of both the insured and the uninsured.

Numbers of Uninsured

As of 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau states that 15.3 percent of Americans do not have health insurance. This translates to 45.7 million people of all ages.

Uninsured Children

More than 8 million children in the U.S. are without health insurance coverage; this is 11 percent of the population of United States citizens who are under 18 years of age.

Cost of Health Insurance

According to the National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC), the average yearly cost for employer-subsidized health insurance was $12,700 per family of four. Coverage for a single employee averages $4,700 per year.

Employment Status of Uninsured

The NCHC states that of those Americans without health insurance, more than 80 percent come from families with at least one working adult in the household. In 70 percent of uninsured households, at least one person is working full time.

Government Insurance Programs

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 27.8 percent of the population receives health insurance benefits from a government program. This includes Medicaid (for the disabled, pregnant women and young children), Medicare (for seniors) and veterans' benefits.

References

• U.S. Census Bureau
• National Coalition for Health Care
• CDC Insurance Statistics

Resources

• National Coalition for Health Care: Facts about Health Insurance