Vital signs: health insurance coverage and health care utilization --- United States, 2006--2009 and January-March 2010.

BACKGROUND

The increasing number of persons in the United States with no health insurance has implications both for individual health and societal costs. Because of cost concerns, millions of uninsured persons forgo some needed health care, which can lead to poorer health and potentially to greater medical expenditures in the long term.

METHODS

CDC analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) for 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 and early release NHIS data from the first quarter of 2010 to determine the number of persons without health insurance or with gaps in coverage and to assess whether lack of insurance coverage was associated with increased levels of forgone health care. Data were analyzed further by demographic characteristics, family income level, and selected chronic conditions.

RESULTS

In the first quarter of 2010, an estimated 59.1 million persons had no health insurance for at least part of the year before their interview, an increase from 58.7 million in 2009 and 56.4 million in 2008. Of the 58.7 million in 2009, 48.6 million (82.8%) were aged 18-64 years. Among persons aged 18-64 years with family incomes two to three times the federal poverty level (approximately $43,000-$65,000 for a family of four in 2009), 9.7 million (32.1%) were uninsured for at least part of the preceding year. Persons aged 18-64 years with no health insurance during the preceding year were seven times as likely (27.6% versus 4.0%) as those continuously insured to forgo needed health care because of cost. Among persons aged 18-64 years with diabetes mellitus, those who had no health insurance during the preceding year were six times as likely (47.5% versus 7.7%) to forgo needed medical care as those who were continuously insured.

CONCLUSIONS

An increasing number of persons in the United States, including those at middle income levels, have had periods with no health insurance coverage in recent years, which is associated with increased levels of forgone health care. Persons aged 18-64 years with chronic conditions and without consistent health insurance coverage are much more likely to forgo needed medical care than persons with the same conditions and continuous coverage.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE

Increasing the number of persons with continuous health insurance coverage can reduce the number of occasions that persons forgo needed health care, which can reduce complications from illness and avoidable long-term expenditures.