CDC: Number Of Uninsured Adults Rises

The number of adults without health insurance jumped by 2 million from 2005 to 2006, according to a new federal report.

Uninsured Americans numbered 43.6 million last year, a 6 percent increase from 2005, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Almost all the increase was in the non-elderly adult population — a trend attributed to diminishing employer coverage and pricier private insurance.

The change in non-elderly adults was significant, but the overall increase was not, CDC officials said. The overall count of the uninsured has been fluctuating between 41 and 44 million over the last five years and is not really trending up, they said.

"It's kind of bobbled around," said Robin Cohen, a CDC statistician who is lead author of the report released Monday.

The CDC is one of at least three federal agencies that estimate the number of Americans without health insurance. The U.S. Census Bureau puts out what is perhaps the best-known number, but that agency's 2006 estimate is not to be released until August.

Like the Census Bureau, the CDC's estimate is based on a survey. The CDC interviewed about 75,000 Americans last year, asking if they were uninsured at that point in time. About 15 percent said yes, leading to the estimate that 43.6 million Americans were uninsured.

The number was 41.2 million in 2005; the figure has fluctuated between that mark and 43.6 million for the past five years.

But there was more than a bobble in the number of adults age 18 to 64 without health insurance. That estimate rose to 36.5 million in 2006, from 34.5 million the year before.

Rising health insurance costs have caused employers to drop coverage, and stopped people from buying it privately, experts said.

"The real key issue is we've got to find means to make health care more affordable," said Ken Thorpe, an Emory University health policy professor.

Meanwhile, the number of uninsured children has dropped from about 10 million to about 7 million from 1997 to 2006. The State Children's Health Insurance Program — a federal program to expand public health insurance programs for kids that started in 1997 — seems to be the main explanation, said Sherry Glied, a Columbia University professor who studies the uninsured.

In past policy debates, some worried that the SCHIP program would merely shift children from private coverage to public insurance without actually diminishing the number of uninsured. But the new CDC report shows that wasn't the case, Glied said.

"The kids result was interesting. I haven't really seen that in other studies," Glied said.

Between 2005 and 2006, however, there was actually a slight increase in the number of uninsured kids — from 6.5 million to 6.8 million.

Glied and others said the CDC numbers are roughly comparable to the Census Bureau estimates. The Census Bureau estimated that in 2005, 44.8 million people or 15.3 percent of the population were without health insurance.

[fraudinsure]

It seems they should have freedom of living without insurance is justified. The insurance company owners are very much hard hearted that they want to squeeze the last blood out. I had very bitter experience with insurance companies like not covering, inspite of getting every monthly payments. This is the biggest crime and the newspapers were bold enough to support them, cause newspapers wanted some news. Why don't news papers start getting information on all the frauds done by these Insurance, Medical Institutes. Medical Institutes should all be under government like what Police is doing and taking care. They are taking 40 x rays inspite it will harm you and charging the Insurance companies and they back off saying won't pay. I removed one teeth and every month I am getting a bill from Medical Institute, Insurance company. Insurance company taken over by another fraud company, what's all these ***.I am getting more pain into my heart than with old teeth I had in my mouth. I will be one among those uninsured after I pay these attrocity bills were paid, cause I dont want these guys to put me into any further trouble into my credit history saying I have not paid, and law is sleeping or with them.It seems I would have paid directly all the expenses without insurance.

[infidel_us]

Is this the same CDC who can't keep track of what they told a guy with TB? They probably interviewed 2 million illegal aliens.

[heresmy2cent]

Sad to say, but America is now a third world country.

You can thank our crooked political "leadership" and the corporate interests who control them.

Don't expect a solution from Hillary, Obama, or any of the other comedians running for office as they are all being financed by the same rats who control everything and keep things status quo.

Only another great depression (or revolution) will change our present course--it's hopeless.

[heresmy2cent]

Sad to say, but America is now a third world country.

You can thank our crooked political "leadership" and the corporate interests who control them.

Don't expect a solution from Hillary, Obama, or any of the other comedians running for office as they are all being financed by the same rats who control everything and keep things status quo.

Only another great depression (or revolution) will change our present course--it's hopeless.

[dan9111]

Thorpe's interpretation is clearly fraudulent. It gives the impression that those who are uninsured simply cannot afford insurance (which would be a tragic situation). On the other hand, many uninsured are choosing noncoverage, either by deliberately having different priorities or because they simply refuse to work. I have seen it firsthand.

While it is a bad situation, it is a gamble of their own choosing, not one of the "healthcare system" as awful as it is. We do not have a federal bailout for those who lose all their money in Las Vegas. Yet I feel sympathy for those who do.

Driving prices down is easy, just do it the same way other industries do: seek out less expensive service, or go into business yourself providing it. Yet Americans are so overregulated, entrepreneurs have no chance to undersell "big health". If they made cars, there would be a federally-mandated year-long waiting list and they would cost a million dollars but going mostly to pay for some other guy's car. That is the dirty secret they are keeping in the dark.

[antoniof123]

What a shame to think that this country has anyone who can't go to the doctors and get help. Maybe one day when some of you who feel that it is okay run into the same situtation then don't cry or complain I don't want to here it morons.

[weareone2]

90,000 people DIE each year in the U.S. because they don't have health insurance. Who knows how many are unnecessarily disabled.

As to the person who resents haveing been required to pay for health insurance at work when he didn't need it, any day something could happen, like getting hit by a car, or having a brain aneurism break, when you didn't even know you had one. Do you think you should just be allowed to die if you didn't have insurance?

I'm currently working in IT again, but because of age discrimination, I had to work as a waitress for several years. Although the company had medical insurance at what many would consider affordable prices, almost nobody (including me) had it because we didn't make enough money to afford it. I was one of the few people with cars, and that is because my father (in his 80's) sent me a check each month that covered the cost of my car insurance. No, I don't have a big screen TV. I also don't have running hot water, air-conditioning, or central heat. I don't smoke.

When I had a lump that could have been cancer, I was making too much for Georgia Medicaid. The country health department sent me to a private, low-cost clinic. But the first visit was $30 ($5 after that), and I didn't have it. Fortunately, my church gave me some money. This has been a very stressful experience, because I am used to being independent, and being able to help others.

[erasmus6]

I don't understand what the problem is. Why is everything in your country so screwed up?

I think that "your people" need to talk to "my people" and get it figured out on how EVERYONE can have health care. And it won't cost you an arm and a leg. The cost of medications are regulated, so you won't be getting scammed. We can go however often we need to and it doesn't cost anymore. When I read someone had so pay $450 a month for insurance, I just about choked.
Our health care covers surgeries,office visits, xrays,tests, bloodwork etc. (I know, some of you are tired of hearing me brag, too bad!:))

[drinuk]

The truth is that far too much cash and favours are going to Big Pharma, they are taking too much of the Pie, far and above what they should have or deserve. That goes for private insurance companies too. The health of the Nation should be looked after by the Nation and not by gangs of corporate criminals or their supporters in government. Nationalise Big Pharma and insure health directly through the government, get the corrupt fingers out of the honey pot.

[Syndicate]

Not everyone wants health care. I didn't want it when I was in my twenties and healthy. I still don't want it unless its free. I was not allowed to opt out and paid twenty thousand dollars over ten years without ever using it. I was forced to pay for something I did not need and did not want so that Older people could get cheaper health care premiums.