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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 1 - CPS
Non Elderly Population
Calendar Year 2001
Characteristic
Population (Millions)
Distribution of Population
Uninsured (Millions)
Distribution of Uninsured
Uninsured Rate
TOTAL
248.3
100.0%
40.9
100.0%
16.5%
GENDER
Men
123.6
49.8%
21.6
52.7%
17.5%
Women
124.7
50.2%
19.3
47.3%
15.5%
 
AGE
CHILDREN Under age 19
76.6
30.8%
9.2
22.6%
12.1%
 
Under age 6
23.4
9.4%
2.5
6.1%
10.7%
Age 6 to 11
24.5
9.9%
2.8
6.7%
11.3%
Age 12 to 18
28.6
11.5%
4.0
9.7%
13.9%
 
ADULTS Age 19-64
171.8
69.2%
31.7
77.4%
18.5%
 
Age 19-24
23.4
9.4%
6.9
17.0%
29.7%
Age 25-34
38.7
15.6%
9.1
22.1%
23.4%
Age 35-54
83.8
33.8%
12.3
30.1%
14.7%
Age 55-64
25.9
10.4%
3.4
8.3%
13.1%
 
RACE
White*
200.3
80.7%
31.0
75.8%
15.5%
Black*
33.2
13.4%
6.8
16.6%
20.5%
Asian/Pacific Islander
11.6
4.7%
2.2
5.4%
19.1%
American Indian
3.3
1.3%
0.9
2.2%
27.5%
 
HISPANIC ORIGIN
Hispanic
35.5
14.3%
12.3
30.1%
34.7%
Not Hispanic
212.8
85.7%
28.6
69.9%
13.4%
 
IMMIGRANT STATUS
US Native
219.2
88.3%
30.3
73.9%
13.8%
Immigrant citizen
9.6
3.9%
2.0
4.9%
21.0%
Immigrant non-citizen
19.5
7.9%
8.6
21.1%
44.3%
 
FAMILY WORK STATUS
2 or more full time
72.3
29.1%
9.5
23.3%
13.2%
Only 1 full time
116.6
47.0%
17.4
42.6%
15.0%
Only part time
17.8
7.2%
4.2
10.2%
23.6%
Only self employed
12.8
5.2%
3.1
7.5%
23.9%
No Workers
28.8
11.6%
6.7
16.4%
23.3%
 
WAGE/SALARY FOR PRIMARY EARNER
No wage earner
17.8
7.2%
4.2
10.4%
23.8%
Under $7/hour
21.9
8.8%
7.9
19.4%
36.2%
$7-$15/hour
77.5
31.2%
17.3
42.2%
22.3%
$15-$25/hour
70.2
28.3%
7.1
17.2%
10.1%
More than $25/hour
60.9
24.5%
4.4
10.8%
7.3%
 
FAMILY COMPOSITION
WITH CHILDREN
153.2
61.7%
22.4
54.6%
14.6%
 
1 Adult
27.3
11.0%
4.8
11.8%
17.7%
2 Married adults
112.2
45.2%
13.1
32.1%
11.7%
Other
13.7
5.5%
4.4
10.8%
32.3%
 
WITHOUT CHILDREN
95.1
38.3%
18.6
45.4%
19.5%
 
1 Adult
34.7
14.0%
7.7
18.9%
22.3%
2 Married adults
49.2
19.8%
7.3
17.9%
14.9%
Other
11.2
4.5%
3.5
8.6%
31.4%
 
INCOME (poverty level)
Under 100% FPL
30.1
12.1%
10.2
25.0%
34.0%
100 - 200 % FPL
42.6
17.2%
12.0
29.3%
28.2%
200 - 300% FPL
41.7
16.8%
7.4
18.0%
17.7%
300 - 400% FPL
36.7
14.8%
4.4
10.8%
12.0%
More than 400% FPL
97.2
39.1%
6.9
16.9%
7.1%
           
*Includes both Hispanic and Non Hispanic
 

These estimates are based on ERIU tabulations of data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau through the 2002 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)