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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 2 - CPS
Adult Population (Age 19-64)
Calendar Year 2005
Characteristic
Population (Millions)
Distribution of Population
Uninsured (Millions)
Distribution of Uninsured
Uninsured Rate
TOTAL
180.4
100.0%
37.1
100.0%
20.6%
GENDER
Men
89.2
49.4%
19.9
53.7%
22.3%
Women
91.3
50.6%
17.2
46.3%
18.8%
 
AGE
ADULTS age 19-64
180.4
100.0%
37.1
100.0%
20.6%
 
Age 19-24
24.0
13.3%
7.8
21.1%
32.6%
Age 25-34
39.5
21.9%
10.4
28.1%
26.4%
Age 35-54
85.9
47.6%
14.6
39.4%
17.0%
Age 55-64
31.0
17.2%
4.2
11.4%
13.6%
 
RACE
White*
145.4
80.6%
28.4
76.5%
19.5%
Black*
22.1
12.2%
5.6
15.1%
25.3%
Asian/Pacific Islander
8.9
4.9%
1.9
5.2%
21.9%
American Indian
1.4
0.8%
0.5
1.4%
36.8%
Biracial
2.7
1.5%
0.7
1.8%
24.7%
 
HISPANIC ORIGIN
Hispanic
25.4
14.1%
10.5
28.4%
41.4%
Not Hispanic
155.0
85.9%
26.5
71.6%
17.1%
 
IMMIGRANT STATUS
US Native
152.0
84.2%
26.5
71.5%
17.4%
Immigrant citizen
10.5
5.8%
2.3
6.2%
21.9%
Immigrant non-citizen
17.8
9.9%
8.3
22.3%
46.3%
 
EDUCATION
Less than HS
22.6
12.5%
9.5
25.7%
42.1%
HS only
55.4
30.7%
13.8
37.2%
24.9%
Some post-HS
53.2
29.5%
9.2
24.7%
17.2%
4-year college degree or more
49.1
27.2%
4.6
12.4%
9.3%
 
INDIVIDUAL WORK STATUS (Point in Time)          
Full Time
96.1
53.3%
15.1
40.8%
15.7%
Part Time
23.8
13.2%
5.7
15.4%
24.0%
Self-Employed
14.6
8.1%
3.9
10.4%
26.5%
Not Working
45.9
25.5%
12.4
33.4%
27.0%
           
INDIVIDUAL WORK STATUS (Annual)
EMPLOYED FULL YEAR
102.9
57.1%
15.9
42.9%
15.5%
 
Full time
92.2
51.1%
13.4
36.2%
14.6%
Part time
10.8
6.0%
2.5
6.7%
23.2%
 
EMPLOYED PART YEAR
26.7
14.8%
7.3
19.7%
27.3%
 
Full Time
17.2
9.5%
4.9
13.3%
28.7%
Part time
9.5
5.3%
2.4
6.4%
24.8%
 
SELF EMPLOYED
14.1
7.8%
3.8
10.2%
26.7%
DID NOT WORK
36.6
20.3%
10.1
27.2%
27.6%
 
FAMILY WORK STATUS
2 or more full time
51.1
28.3%
7.5
20.2%
14.7%
Only 1 full time
84.2
46.7%
16.3
44.0%
19.4%
Only part time
12.5
6.9%
3.7
9.9%
29.4%
Only self employed
9.9
5.5%
3.2
8.5%
31.8%
No Workers
22.7
12.6%
6.4
17.4%
28.4%
 
WAGE/SALARY FOR PRIMARY EARNERS
No wage earner
16.1
8.9%
4.7
12.6%
28.9%
Under $7/hour
12.6
7.0%
5.8
15.6%
45.9%
$7-$15/hour
49.5
27.4%
15.3
41.2%
30.8%
$15-$25/hour
50.4
28.0%
7.0
18.9%
13.9%
More than $25/hour
51.7
28.7%
4.4
11.8%
8.4%
 
FAMILY COMPOSITION
WITH CHILDREN
77.1
42.8%
14.1
38.1%
18.3%
 
1 Adult
12.8
7.1%
3.5
9.4%
27.3%
2 Married adults
60.1
33.3%
9.1
24.6%
15.2%
Other
4.2
2.3%
1.5
4.0%
35.4%
 
WITHOUT CHILDREN
103.3
57.2%
23.0
61.9%
22.2%
 
1 Adult
36.5
20.2%
9.1
24.7%
25.1%
2 Married adults
54.1
30.0%
9.2
24.7%
16.9%
Other
12.7
7.0%
4.6
12.5%
36.6%
 
INCOME (Poverty Level)
Under 100% FPL
20.1
11.1%
8.8
23.8%
43.9%
100 - 200 % FPL
27.9
15.5%
10.3
27.9%
37.0%
200 - 300% FPL
28.9
16.0%
7.0
18.9%
24.3%
300 - 400% FPL
26.2
14.5%
4.1
11.0%
15.6%
More than 400% FPL
77.3
42.8%
6.8
18.4%
8.8%
           
*Includes both Hispanic and Non Hispanic
 

These estimates are based on ERIU tabulations of data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau through the 2006 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)