Economic Research Initiative on the Uninsured


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 2003
Characteristic	Population (Millions)	Distribution of Population	Uninsured (Millions)	Distribution of Uninsured	Uninsured Rate
TOTAL	253.6	100%	44.7	100%	17.6%
GENDER
Men	126.4	49.9%	23.7	53.0%	18.7%
Women	127.2	50.1%	21	47.0%	16.5%

AGE
CHILDREN Under age 19	77.6	30.6%	9.1	20.4%	11.8%

Under age 6	23.8	9.4%	2.4	5.5%	10.3%
Age 6 to 11	23.9	9.4%	2.6	5.9%	11.0%
Age 12 to 18	29.9	11.8%	4.1	9.1%	13.6%

ADULTS Age 19-64	176	69.4%	35.5	79.6%	20.2%

Age 19-24	23.8	9.4%	7.7	17.1%	32.2%
Age 25-34	39.2	15.5%	10.3	23.2%	26.4%
Age 35-54	84.6	33.4%	13.8	31.0%	16.4%
Age 55-64	28.4	11.2%	3.7	8.3%	13.0%

RACE
White*	202	79.6%	33.8	75.6%	16.7%
Black*	33.2	13.1%	7	15.8%	21.2%
Asian/Pacific Islander	11.5	4.5%	2.3	5.2%	20.2%
American Indian	2.1	0.8%	0.6	1.4%	29.3%
Biracial	4.8	1.9%	0.9	2.0%	18.9%

HISPANIC ORIGIN
Hispanic	38.3	15.1%	13.1	29.4%	34.2%
Not Hispanic	215.3	84.9%	31.6	70.6%	14.7%

IMMIGRANT STATUS
US Native	223.1	88.0%	33	73.9%	14.8%
Immigrant citizen	10.5	4.1%	2.2	4.9%	21.1%
Immigrant non-citizen	20.1	7.9%	9.4	21.1%	47.1%

FAMILY WORK STATUS
2 or more full time	70.7	27.9%	9.6	21.4%	13.5%
Only 1 full time	119.5	47.1%	19.6	43.8%	16.4%
Only part time	18.6	7.3%	4.6	10.3%	24.7%
Only self employed	14.4	5.7%	3.7	8.4%	26.0%
No Workers	30.4	12.0%	7.2	16.1%	23.7%

WAGE/SALARY FOR PRIMARY EARNER
No wage earner	20.6	8.1%	5.1	11.4%	24.7%
Under $7/hour	20.2	8.0%	7.7	17.2%	38.1%
$7-$15/hour	73.7	29.1%	18.7	41.8%	25.3%
$15-$25/hour	71.1	28.1%	8.2	18.3%	11.5%
More than $25/hour	68	26.8%	5.1	11.3%	7.4%

FAMILY COMPOSITION
WITH CHILDREN	155.6	61.4%	23.6	52.8%	15.1%

1 Adult	28.3	11.2%	5.1	11.3%	17.9%
2 Married adults	112	44.2%	13.8	30.8%	12.3%
Other	15.3	6.0%	4.8	10.6%	31.1%

WITHOUT CHILDREN	98	38.6%	21.1	47.2%	21.5%

1 Adult	35.5	14.0%	8.9	20.0%	25.2%
2 Married adults	51	20.1%	8.1	18.2%	16.0%
Other	11.5	4.5%	4	9.0%	34.8%

INCOME (poverty level)
Under 100% FPL	32.9	13.0%	11.07	24.8%	33.6%
100 - 200 % FPL	43.6	17.2%	13.2	29.6%	30.3%
200 - 300% FPL	42.2	16.7%	8.1	18.1%	19.2%
300 - 400% FPL	35.6	14.0%	4.8	10.7%	13.4%
More than 400% FPL	99.3	39.2%	7.5	16.8%	7.5%

*Includes both Hispanic and Non Hispanic

These estimates are based on ERIU tabulations of data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau through the 2004 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)