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 - SIPP Non Elderly Population Calendar Year 2002 - Uninsured Ever During the Year
Characteristic	Population (Millions)	Distribution of Population	Uninsured (Millions)	Distribution of Uninsured	Uninsured Rate
TOTAL	250.1	100.0%	68.4	100.0%	27.4%
GENDER
Men	124.6	49.8%	35.8	52.3%	28.7%
Women	125.6	50.2%	32.7	47.7%	26.0%

AGE
CHILDREN Under age 19	76.9	30.7%	21.7	31.7%	28.2%

Under age 6	23.6	9.4%	6.5	9.5%	27.7%
Age 6 to 11	24.3	9.7%	7.3	10.6%	29.9%
Age 12 to 18	29.0	11.6%	7.9	11.5%	27.2%

ADULTS Age 19-64	173.2	69.3%	46.8	68.3%	27.0%

Age 19-24	23.4	9.4%	10.8	15.7%	46.0%
Age 25-34	38.8	15.5%	13.3	19.5%	34.4%
Age 35-54	84.1	33.6%	18.4	26.8%	21.8%
Age 55-64	27.0	10.8%	4.3	6.3%	15.9%

RACE
White*	202.7	81.0%	51.7	75.5%	25.5%
Black*	33.6	13.4%	12.1	17.7%	36.2%
Asian/Pacific Islander	10.4	4.2%	3.2	4.7%	31.1%
American Indian	3.5	1.4%	1.4	2.1%	40.7%

HISPANIC ORIGIN
Hispanic	36.4	14.6%	18.5	27.0%	50.8%
Not Hispanic	213.7	85.4%	49.9	73.0%	23.4%

IMMIGRANT STATUS
US Native	142.7	87.8%	38.5	87.9%	27.0%
Immigrant citizen	8.1	5.0%	2.3	5.3%	28.9%
Immigrant non-citizen	11.7	7.2%	3.0	6.7%	25.3%

FAMILY WORK STATUS
2 or more full time	73.3	29.3%	16.1	23.6%	22.0%
Only 1 full time	117.0	46.8%	28.3	41.4%	24.2%
Only part time	28.9	11.5%	12.5	18.3%	43.4%
Only self employed	11.3	4.5%	4.4	6.4%	39.1%
No Workers	19.6	7.9%	7.0	10.3%	35.7%

WAGE/SALARY FOR PRIMARY EARNER
None	24.8	9.9%	10.2	14.9%	41.0%
Under $7/hour	17.1	6.8%	8.6	12.5%	50.1%
$7-$15/hour	86.6	34.6%	32.1	46.9%	37.0%
$15-$25/hour	64.3	25.7%	11.4	16.6%	17.7%
More than $25/hour	57.4	22.9%	6.3	9.2%	10.9%

FAMILY COMPOSITION
WITH CHILDREN	157.1	62.8%	44.1	64.4%	28.0%

1 Adult	25.9	10.4%	9.8	14.2%	37.6%
2 Married adults	113.8	45.5%	25.6	37.4%	22.5%
Other	17.4	7.0%	8.7	12.8%	50.2%

WITHOUT CHILDREN	93.0	37.2%	24.4	35.6%	26.2%

1 Adult	33.8	13.5%	11.7	17.0%	34.5%
2 Married adults	48.1	19.2%	8.0	11.7%	16.7%
Other	11.1	4.4%	4.7	6.9%	42.4%

INCOME (Poverty Level)
Under 100% FPL	29.2	11.7%	15.1	22.1%	51.8%
100 - 200 % FPL	48.4	19.3%	22.6	33.0%	46.7%
200 - 300% FPL	46.5	18.6%	14.5	21.1%	31.1%
300 - 400% FPL	40.2	16.1%	8.0	11.6%	19.8%
More than 400% FPL	85.9	34.3%	8.3	12.1%	9.6%

*Includes both Hispanic and Non Hispanic

The SIPP estimates are ERIU tabulations of data collected by the U.S.Census Bureau in the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) 2002 panel, which began in January 2002. The SIPP interviews respondents every four months during the life of the panel. The 2002 tabulations are based on responses that cover calendar year 2002. Respondents report whether they were covered by specific sources of public or private health insurance (Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, other public, employment-based private, other private health insurance). Respondents are considered uninsured if they respond “no” to all of the coverage options; they are not asked directly if they are uninsured. The “point in time” estimate reflects health insurance status for December 2002. The “all year uninsured” estimate includes those without health insurance for all 12 months. The “ever uninsured” includes those reporting no health insurance for at least one month and for as many as 12 months.

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 SIPP Data Source and Variables (PDF)