HEALTH SERVICES UTILIZATION

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Health Insurance Coverage

People with health insurance are more likely to have a regular source of medical care and to use preventive care, while people without health insurance are more likely to have unmet medical needs and to use hospital emergency rooms for routine care.(1)

Nearly 80 percent of White women had private insurance coverage in 2000, compared to less than half of Black and Hispanic women. More Black women and Hispanic women had public coverage, including Medicaid and Medicare, than White women. Of all racial and ethnic groups, Hispanic women were most likely to be uninsured.

Among adults aged 18-44 years, women were less likely to be uninsured than men, with the greatest difference between men and women aged 21-24. This is likely to be attributable to the greater proportion of women of childbearing age enrolled in Medicaid. Among persons aged 55-64 years, however, women were more likely than men to be uninsured.

1 - Bloom B, Simpson G, Cohen RA, Parsons PE. Access to health care.
Part 2: Working-age aduts. Vital and Health Statistics 10(197); 1997.

In 2000, the primary source of insurance coverage for females of all races is private (72.1%), followed by public (26.1%), and 13.1%of females were uninsured. Among non-Hispanic black women, 28.6% had private coverage, 32.4% had public coverage, and 17.1% were uninsured. Among non-Hispanic white women, 79.1% had privage coverage, 24.9% had public coverage, and 9.3% were uninsured. Among Hispanics, 48.1% had private coverage, 27% had public coverage, and 29.4% were uninsured. Among Asian/Pacific Islanders, 70.9% had private coverage, 19.9% had public coverage, and 16.2% were uninsured.

 

Percentage of adults without health insurance, by age and sex, 2000: age 18-20: 24.4% of males and 23.9% of females. age 21-24: 34.7% of males and 25.6% of females. age 25-34: 23.9% of males and 18.9% of females. age 35-44: 16.9% of males and 14.3% of females. age 45-54: 12.0% of males and 12.1% of females. age 55-64: 12.0% of males and 15.2% of females.

 

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