INSURANCE COVERAGE: State-By-State Estimates

      Just over 16% of Americans were uninsured in 1995 and 1996 and 6.8% were underinsured, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Based on data collected from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for 1995-96, the CDC noted that people ages 18-24 were most likely to report being uninsured (25.4% median for all states), while people ages 25-34 were most likely to report being underinsured (7.5% median). But people ages 55-64 were most likely to report adequate coverage (84.4% median). Overall, the survey found that 76.9% of respondents had adequate insurance. According to the CDC, "Hawaii had the lowest prevalence of being uninsured for two of five age groups. Louisiana had the highest levels of being uninsured among three age groups, and Texas had the highest levels among two age groups." The CDC notes that the survey findings "are consistent with previous studies that have documented that people age 18-24 had the highest rates of being uninsured and that persons aged 55-64 years had the highest rates of being insured." The insurance coverage findings were published in last week's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Click here to view a pdf version of the issue.