This report uses longitudinal data from the 1996 panel of the Survey of Income and Program Participation to examine 1996 to 1999 health insurance coverage. During the 48-month survey period, respondents reported their health insurance status for each month, providing the opportunity to observe how long people are covered by health insurance or how long they go without coverage. The report focuses on the dynamics of health insurance coverage and how patterns vary across economic and demographic groups. The number of months without health insurance varied for different groups: 96.7 percent of all people were covered for at least 1 month of the 48-month period, about two-thirds of all people had some kind of health insurance for the entire 48-month period, and only 3.3 percent had no health insurance coverage during the whole period.
Coverage rates improved each year
Health insurance coverage rates increased over the years. Throughout the calendar year, 78.2 percent of the people were covered in 1996; 80.4 percent, in 1999. Conversely, 8.8 percent of all people lacked health insurance for the entire year in 1996, decreasing to 8.0 percent in 1999.
Hispanics least likely to have continuous coverage
Among the racial/ethnic groups, non-Hispanic Whites were the most likely and Hispanics (of any race) were the least likely to have continuous coverage every year (1996 to 1999). The likelihood of no coverage during all of 1999 was also highest among Hispanics: 21.1 percent of Hispanics versus 10.9 percent of Blacks and 5.5 percent of non-Hispanic Whites.
People age 18 to 24 also least likely to be insured
People age 55 to 64 were the most likely and those age 18 to 24 were the least likely to have entire-year health insurance coverage. In 1999, while 9 of 10 people age 55 to 64 reported entire-year coverage, only 6 of 10 people age 18 to 24 did so.
1 in 3 people without health insurance for at least 1 month
While 67.9 percent of all people had health insurance coverage for the entire 48 months, the rest (32.1 percent) had at least 1 month of no coverage. Unemployed people were the most likely (71.6 percent) and people age 65 or over were the least likely (2.3 percent) to experience at least 1 month of no coverage. The median duration without health insurance was 5.6 months for all people who experienced at least one spell of no health insurance.
Percentage of people covered by health insurance during the entire year 1996 78.2% 1997 78.4% 1998 79.5% 1999 80.4% Note: Table made from bar graph. Source: Bhandari, S., & Mills, R. (2003). Dynamics of economic well-being: Health insurance 1996-1999. Current Population Reports P70-2 Census Bureau. Percentage of people not covered by health insurance during all of 1999, by race/ethnicity Non-Hispanic Whites 5.5% Blacks 10.9% Hispanic 21.1% Note: Table made from bar graph. Source: Bhandari, S., & Mills, R. (2003). Dynamics of economic well-being: Health insurance 1996-1999. Current Population Reports P70-2 Census Bureau. Percentage of people with entire-year health insurance coverage in 1999, by age [less than or equal to] 17 74.2% 18-24 62.0% 25-34 77.9% 35-44 83.5% 45-54 87.4% 55-64 90.8% Note: Table made from bar graph. Source: Bhandari, S., & Mills, R. (2003). Dynamics of economic well-being: Health insurance 1996-1999. Current Population Reports P70-2 Census Bureau. Percentage of people with 1 month or more of no health insurance coverage during 1996-99 1 month or more of no health insurance coverage 32.1% 67.9% Note: Table made from pie chart Source: Bhandari, S., & Mills, R. (2003). Dynamics of economic well-being: Health insurance 1996-1999. Current Population Reports P70-2 Census Bureau.
