Number Of Uninsured Children Declines, Reports Census Bureau

On September 28, the U.S. Bureau of the Census released the latest data from the Current Population Survey. The figures show that 10.8 million children aged 18 and under lacked health coverage in 1999, down from 11.9 million in 1998. This 1.1 million decrease was the first decline in the number of uninsured children since 1995. Of the 10.8 million uninsured children, 4.4 million were White, 3.4 million were Hispanic, and 2.1 million were Black. The number of White uninsured children dropped by more than 15%, compared to a drop of 9% among Black children and 6% among Hispanic children.

In general, children of color were more likely to be uninsured: one out of six Black children and one out of four Hispanic children were uninsured, compared with one out of eleven White children. Children who live in families with income under 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (less than $26,580 for a family of three in 1999) were more than twice as likely to be uninsured as children with higher family incomes. However, more than 90% of the improvement in children's coverage between 1998 and 1999 occurred among children in the lower income group: one million fewer lower-income children were uninsured in 1999 than in the previous year.

This suggests that outreach efforts under Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), as well as an increase in employer-based health coverage, are making progress in increasing coverage.