Some Statistics

At The Giving Neighbors we look at statistics on the uninsured in our local areas and in our Country.  It is overwhelming to look at the reality of this situation, the numbers are staggering. Those of us who are blessed with health insurance can walk daily in comfort.  We can go to the doctor.

Look at some of the information. Let's start right here in Texas.

According to the Task Force for Access to Health Care in Texas report "Code Red" chapter 2
"Over 25% of the population in Texas is uninsured regarding basic health care. Uninsured population in:
Dallas county ~ 499,970
Denton county ~ 81,413
Tarrant County ~ 325,556 * Source Texas Department of Insurance, 2003"
Estimates show Collin county uninsured at 55,344.

"The situation in Texas is bleak. Texas has consistently experienced a 60% higher prevalence of uninsured individuals than the rest of the country.  In 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that 5.6 million or 25.1% of Texans were uninsured (US Census Bureau, 2005).  Another survey determined that 8.5 million or 43.4% of Texans under the age of 65 went without health insurance for all or part of 2002-2003 (Stoll and Jones, 2004).  This is approximately the same number of people as the population of New Jersey."

"One of every five families with children has one or more uninsured family members.  This can cause the health of one family member to negatively impact the health and well-being of other family members due to the financial pressures it produces (IOM,2002)."

"In Texas, 30% of 1.2 million 19 to 29 year-olds were without insurance (Families USA, 2003)."

"Even though they have low incomes, 71% of the uninsured were employed either full-time or part-time during 2001-2002. In Texas the percentage is slightly higher at 79% (Stoll and Jones,2004). Unfortunately, many have jobs where health insurance is not offered, and many Texas industries are reducing health care coverage."

"Dallas county, with 23.7% of its residents uninsured, has the second-highest number of uninsured in Texas (United Way Dallas,2005).

Look at the Uninsured in America
According to "Who Are the Uninsured? A Consistent Profile Across National Surveys." (#7553). The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, August 2006 41 to 46 million Americans are nonelderly uninsured at any given time.

"Adults are disproportionately represented among the uninsured and constitute the large majority, with those 18 to 44 years old making up roughly 60% of the uninsured."

"Younger adults (age 19-34), who make up about a third of all nonelderly adults, comprised almost half of the growth in uninsured adults between 2000 & 2004.  While minorities and non-citizens arem ore likely to be uninsured, they do not account for the majority of the growth in the uninsured over these four years."

"Four out of five (81%) of the uninsured are in working families - 69% in households with at least one full-time worker and 13%  with a part-time worker."

"Health insurance affects access to health care as well as the financial well-being of families. Over 40% of nonelderly uninsured adults have no regular source of health care, and coupled with a fear of high medical bills, many delay or forgo needed caere..."

"Delaying or not receiving treatment can lead to more serious illness and avoidable health problems. The uninsured are less likely to r eceive preventive care than those with insurance and more likely to be hospitalized for conditions that could have been avoided. For example, people with insurance are significantly more likely to have had recent mammograms, and other types of cancer screenings than the uninsured.  Consequently, uninsured cancer patients are dagnosed later and die earlier than those with insurance."

Permission statement" This information was reprinted with permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. The Kaiser Family Foundation, based in Menlo Park, California, is a nonprofit, private operating foundation focusing on the major health care issues facing the nation and is not associated with Kaiser Permanente or Kaiser Industries."

Sources: www.kff.org, www.coderedtexas.org/files/report_chapter02.pdf
Families USA. (2003), Institute of Medicine (IOM,2001& 2002), US Census Bureau (2005), Stoll,K. and Jones, K. (2004), Texas Department of Insurance (2003)