Data from the 2000 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) show that health insurance status among people under 65 varies according to demographic characteristics such as age, race/ethnicity, sex, and marital status.

In early 2000, 16.1 percent of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population (44.0 million people) had no health insurance coverage. This estimate does not differ significantly from last year's estimate of 15.8 percent (42.8 million people) for the population who lacked health insurance during the first part of 1999.

Young adults, ages 19-24, were the age group at the greatest risk of being uninsured, with one-third (33.1 percent) of this group lacking health insurance (Figure 1). This group composed 9.5 percent of the total non-elderly population but 17.2 percent of the uninsured population.

Among people under 65, Hispanics accounted for one-fourth (24.9 percent) of the uninsured population even though they represented only 12.9 percent of the overall population this age (Figure 2). Among males under age 65, being uninsured was more likely among Hispanics (37.6 percent) than among black non-Hispanics (24.9 percent) or white non-Hispanics (15.5 percent). Similarly, among females under 65, being uninsured was more likely among Hispanics (32.8 percent) than among black non-Hispanics (21.6 percent) or white non-Hispanics (12.9 percent) (Figure 3).

People who never married accounted for nearly a quarter (23.7 percent) of the non-elderly population but over a third (36.5 percent) of the uninsured population. Also, about a third (32.1 percent) of all people under 65 who were separated were uninsured (Figure 4).

These MEPS estimates for 2000 are not significantly different from MEPS estimates for 1999.

Note: The uninsured were defined as people not covered by Medicare, TRICARE (Armed-Forces-related coverage), Medicaid, other public hospital/physician programs, or private hospital/physician insurance (including Medigap coverage) from January 2000 through the MEPS interview date. People covered only by noncomprehensive State-specific programs (e.g., Maryland Kidney Disease Program) or private single-service plans (e.g., coverage for dental or vision care only, coverage for accidents or specific diseases) were not considered to be insured.

Bar chart - Fig.1 - % uninsured by age - see table below for details

Figure 1. Percent uninsured by age: People under age 65, first half of 2000   Young adults ages 19-24 were more likely than any other age group to be uninsured.

Age in
Years

%
Uninsured
Under 18 13.9%
18 21.7%
19-24 33.1%
25-29 24.9%
30-34 20.9%
35-54 16.1%
55-64 16.1%
  Source: Center for Cost and Financing Studies, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component, 2000.

Pie charts - Fig.2 - % distribution of total population and the uninsured by race/ethnicity - see table below for details

Figure 2. Percent distribution of total population and the uninsured by race/ethnicity: People under age 65, first half of 2000   Hispanics were disproportionately represented among the uninsured.

Total
White 69.7%
Black 13.1%
Hispanic 12.9%
Other 4.3%

Uninsured
White 54.2%
Black 16.7%
Hispanic 24.9%
Other 4.2%
  Source: Center for Cost and Financing Studies, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component, 2000. 

Bar chart - Fig.3 - % uninsured by race/ethnicity and sex - see table below for details

Figure 3. Percent uninsured by race/ethnicity and sex: People under age 65, first half of 2000   Among both males and females, Hispanics were the most likely to be uninsured.

Male
White 15.5%
Black 24.9%
Hispanic 37.6%
Other 17.3%

Female
White 12.9%
Black 21.6%
Hispanic 32.8%
Other 17.9%
  Source: Center for Cost and Financing Studies, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component, 2000.

Bar chart - Fig.4 - % uninsured by marital status - see table below for details

Figure 4. Percent uninsured by marital status: People under age 65, first half of 2000  

Marital Status
Married 13.1%
Widowed 27.7%
Divorced 25.2%
Separated 32.1%
Never Married 28.0%
  Source: Center for Cost and Financing Studies, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component, 2000.

Internet Citation:
2000 Statistics for U.S. Health Insurance Coverage.  Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/pubdoc/h022/HIC2000Stats.htm
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