During the entire four-year period from 2001 through 2004, 6.6% of the American population under age 65 (16.9 million people) were uninsured, according to a statistical brief from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. For the last two years of that period, 31.2% of the population was uninsured for at least one month, and 10.3% were uninsured the entire two years. Young adults (18 to 24) were the mostly likely to be uninsured for at least one month during 2003 through 2004 (55.1%), as were Hispanics (49.5%). Although Hispanics comprise 15.4% of the under-65 population, they accounted for 37.9% of the individuals without insurance during 2001 through 2004, making them disproportionately represented among the long-term uninsured.
Access PATIENT FRIENDLY BILLING® project tools to better serve the uninsured.
