SHADAC researchers recently created a data summary of the geographic concentration of the uninsured in 2013 and 2014 using the most recent Small Area Health Insurance Estimates (SAHIE). This summary includes tabular information on the 100 counties with the highest estimated numbers of uninsured in 2013 and in 2014, and introduces an interactive map that illustrates the changes in uninsured from 2013 to 2014 for all counties.
About the New SAHIE Data
The U.S. Census Bureau released the 2014 Small Area Health Insurance Estimates (SAHIE) on May 12, 2016. The Census Bureau updated the SAHIE models for 2014, incorporating more current Medicaid data sources in order to better capture Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Census Bureau also re-released 2013 estimates using this updated methodology to facilitate comparisons between 2013 and 2014. For more information on the new SAHIE estimates, visit this SHADAC blog entry.
Data Summary Highlights:
-
• The 100 counties with the highest uninsured numbers represent only three percent of all U.S. counties (100 out of 3,141), but they include almost half of the nation's uninsured population (48% in 2013 and 47% in 2014).
-
• Although 96 of the top 100 counties in 2013 remained in the top 100 in 2014, each of the top 100 counties saw a decrease in the number of uninsured in 2014, with the top 100 counties dropping from 21.3 million to 17 million from 2013 to 2014. This represents a 20 percent decline, which was larger than the 19 percent decline seen in the U.S.
Interactive Map:
- • The interactive map created by SHADAC's team of analysts provides information on the number of uninsured, the percent of the population that is uninsured, and the change in the uninsured rate from 2013 to 2014 for all counties.