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2011 ACS Shows Uninsured Rate Falling in 20 States
September 21, 2012:September 20, 2012: The 2011 American Community Survey (ACS) estimates of insurance coverage are now available from the US Census Bureau.
Insurance Estimates
Nationally, the percentage of the US population estimated to be uninsured fell significantly, from 15.5 percent in 2010 to 15.1 percent in 2011, with the number of uninsured falling from 47.2 million to 46.4 million. This drop is similar to the decrease seen last week in the 2011 Current Population Survey and is also seen at the state level, where 20 states saw statistically significant decreases in their ACS uninsured estimates (see table, map). The largest decreases occured in Oregon, Rhode Island, and Vermont, each of which saw a 1.4 percentage point decline in its uninsured rate. Only one state, Missouri, showed a significant increase in uninsurance.
What’s behind the Numbers
Nationally, the drop in uninsurance appears to be due to an increase in public coverage, from 29.7 percent in 2010 to 30.5 percent in 2011. Private coverage fell from 65.8 percent to 65.2 percent between 2010 and 2011.[1] Both of these shifts are statistically significant.
SHADAC analysts will be looking at the ACS state-level data in depth in the coming weeks to evaluate what might be driving the coverage changes we are seeing in the states. We will be hosting a webinar on the 2011 ACS and CPS state health insurance estimates on Tuesday, September 25, during which SHADAC analysts will present results from both surveys and guide users in accessing the estimates. Experts from the US Census Bureau will join the call to join the discussion and respond to questions.[2]
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Background: ACS
The ACS is a household survey that began in 2005 and produces annually updated data on a variety of population characteristics, including health insurance coverage. In total, the ACS surveys approximately three million US households each year. An important feature of the ACS is that it includes a large enough sample for state‐level and sub‐state estimates.
The ACS began asking survey respondents about health insurance coverage during the 2008 calendar year. Specifically, the survey asks respondents about current coverage for each person in the respondent’s household. A person is categorized as “insured” if he or she has coverage at the point in time at which the survey is administered.
[1] The ACS defines public coverage as coverage through Medicare, Medicaid, or Veterans Affairs. Private coverage is defined as coverage through an employer, through direct purchase, or through TRICARE or other military insurance.
[2] For a look at the difference between methodologies of the American Community Survey and Current Population Survey with respect to insurance coverage estimates, see SHADAC Issue Brief 22, “Comparing Health Insurance Estimates from the American Community Survey and the Current Population Survey,” available at http://www.shadac.org/files/shadac/publications/IssueBrief22.pdf.
