• Both the percentage and number of people without health insurance decreased in 2007.  The percentage without health insurance was 15.3 percent in 2007, down from 15.8 percent in 2006, and the number of uninsured was 45.7 million, down from 47.0 million. 1

  • The number of people with health insurance increased to 253.4 million in 2007 (up from 249.8 million in 2006).  The number of people covered by private health insurance (202.0 million) in 2007 was not statistically different from 2006, while the number of people covered by government health insurance increased to 83.0 million, up from 80.3 million in 2006.

  • The percentage of people covered by private health insurance was 67.5 percent, down from 67.9 percent in 2006.  The percentage of people covered by employment-based health insurance decreased to 59.3 in 2007 from 59.7 percent in 2006.  The number of people covered by employment-based health insurance, 177.4 million, was not statistically different from 2006.

  • The percentage of people covered by government health insurance programs increased to 27.8 percent in 2007, from 27.0 percent in 2006.  The percentage and number of people covered by Medicaid increased to 13.2 percent and 39.6 million in 2007, up from 12.9 percent and 38.3 million in 2006.

  • In 2007, the percentage and number of children under 18 years old without health insurance were 11.0 percent and 8.1 million, lower than they were in 2006—11.7 percent and 8.7 million.  Although the uninsured rate for children in poverty decreased to 17.6 percent in 2007, from 19.3 percent in 2006, children in poverty were more likely to be uninsured than all children.2

  • The uninsured rate and number of uninsured for non-Hispanic Whites decreased in 2007 to 10.4 percent and 20.5 million (from 10.8 percent and 21.2 million in 2006).  The uninsured rate for Blacks decreased to 19.5 percent in 2007 from 20.5 percent in 2006.  The number of uninsured Blacks in 2007 was not statistically different from 2006, at 7.4 million.    

  • The percentage and the number of uninsured Hispanics were 32.1 percent and 14.8 million in 2007, lower than 34.1 percent and 15.3 million in 2006.

    1 For a brief description of how the Census Bureau collects and reports on health insurance, see the text box “What is health insurance coverage?” For a discussion of the quality of ASEC health insurance coverage estimates, see Appendix C.

    2 The number of uninsured children in poverty in 2007 was not statistically different from the number in 2006


The 2005 and 2006 Current Population Survey (CPS) Annual Social and Economic Supplement (ASEC) data were revised in March 2007 to improve the consistency of estimates for the insured and uninsured as part of ongoing efforts to improve the quality of Census Bureau data. Because the data after the revision is not consistent with earlier data, the Census Bureau introduced a new historical series (HIA-1 to HIA-8) and discontinued the original series. The data for 1999 to 2003 presented in these tables (from ASEC's 2000 to 2004) were revised using an approximation method for consistency with the revision to the 2004 and 2005 estimates (2005 and 2006 ASEC’s).

User Note

  • The number of people with health insurance coverage increased by 2.0 million in 2004, to 245.3 million (84.3 percent of the population).

  • In 2004, 45.8 million people were without health insurance coverage, up from 45.0 million people in 2003.

  • There was no change in the percentage of people without health insurance coverage (15.7 percent) between 2003 and 2004.

  • The historical record is marked by a 12-year period from 1987 to 1998 when the uninsured rate (12.9 percent in 1987) either increased or was unchanged from one year to the next (Figure 5)1. After peaking at 16.3 percent in 1998, the rate fell for two years in a row to 14.2 percent in 2000, and the rate increased for three years before stabilizing at 15.7 percent in 20042.

  • The percentage and number of people covered by government health insurance programs increased between 2003 and 2004, from 26.6 percent and 76.8 million to 27.2 percent and 79.1 million, driven by increases in the percentage and number of people covered by Medicaid, from 12.4 percent and 35.6 million to 12.9 percent and 37.5 million (Figure 6).

  • The percentage and number of children (people under 18 years old) without health insurance in 2004 was 11.2 percent and 8.3 million, both unchanged from 2003 (Table 7).

  • With a 2004 uninsured rate at 18.9 percent, children in poverty were more likely to be uninsured than all children (Figure 7).

  • The uninsured rate and number of uninsured in 2004 was 11.3 percent and 22.0 million for non-Hispanic Whites, and 19.7 percent and 7.2 million for Blacks. The figures for both groups were unchanged from 2003. The uninsured rate for Asians decreased from 18.8 percent to 16.8 percent (Table 7).

  • The number of uninsured increased in 2004 for Hispanics (from 13.2 million in 2003 to 13.7 million); their uninsured rate was unchanged at 32.7 percent (Table 7).

    1/ The year 1987 is the first year for which comparable health insurance coverage statistics are available.
    2/ The difference between the percentage uninsured in 1998 and 1997 was not statistically significant