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2015 ACS: Variation in Public and Private Coverage at the State Level
September 16, 2016:The U.S. Census Bureau released its full statistical portfolio for the 2015 American Community Survey (ACS), including state-level information about health insurance coverage by coverage type.
Public vs. Private Coverage: State Changes Varied from 2014 to 2015
The ACS found a 2.3 percentage-point national increase in health insurance coverage between 2014 and 2015, from 88.3% to 90.6%—an increase that was driven by nationwide increases in both public and private coverage during this time (from 33.2% to 34.7% and from 66.4% to 67.5%, respectively[1]).
The national overall coverage increase was mirrored by significant overall coverage increases in almost every state (with the exception of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming, none of which saw a significant change); however, there was variation among states in the prevalence and direction of year-over-year coverage changes with respect to public vs. private coverage (which includes individually-purchased and employer-sponsored coverage).
| Public Coverage Rates by State, All Ages, 2014-2015 | |
|---|---|
| • | Public coverage increased significantly in 34 states. |
| • | Public coverage decreased significantly in one state (North Dakota). |
| • | 15 states and the District of Columbia saw no significant change in public coverage. |
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|
| Private Coverage Rates by State, All Ages, 2014-2015 | |
|---|---|
| • | Private coverage increased significantly in 30 states and the District of Columbia. |
| • | No state saw a significant decrease in private coverage. |
| • | 20 states saw no significant change in private coverage. |
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|
| Public vs. Private Coverage, All Ages: State Variation in 2015 | |
|---|---|
| In addition to the above inter-state variation in coverage changes between 2014 and 2015, there was wide variation in state levels of public and private coverage when looking at the 2015 estimates on their own. | |
| • | New Mexico had the highest rate of public coverage in 2015, at 46.6%. |
| • | Utah had the lowest rate of public coverage in 2015, at 21.3%. |
| • | North Dakota reported the highest rate of private coverage in 2015, at 80.6%. |
| • | New Mexico saw the lowest rate of private coverage in 2015, at 54.6%. |
More to Come
Stay tuned for more granular details about insurance coverage changes in the states from 2014 to 2015 via customized SHADAC tables examining coverage at the state and county level.
Related Reading
ACS: Widespread State-Level Declines in Uninsurance, with Inter-State Variation Persisting
-SHADAC Blog, September 13, 2016
Census Bureau Experts Will Share Insights during September 21st SHADAC Webinar
On Wednesday, September 21st, SHADAC will host a webinar to examine the new 2015 estimates from the ACS and the Current Population Survey (CPS), with technical insight provided by researchers from SHADAC and the U.S. Census Bureau. Speakers will discuss the new national and state estimates, and attendees will learn when to use which estimates from which survey, how to access the estimates via Census reports and American FactFinder, and how to access state-level estimates from the ACS using SHADAC tables. Attendees will also have the opportunity to hear more about CPS employer offer and take-up estimates, for which three full years of data will be available. Speakers will answer questions from attendees after the presentations.
[1] Sum of public and private coverage estimates exceeds 100% because survey respondents may report more than one type of coverage.
