The uninsured in Kansas: New data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey

Kansas is one of 10 states that showed an increase in its uninsured rate from two years ago.

The percentage of Kansans lacking health insurance increased to almost 13 percent in 2006–2007, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. This pushes the state’s uninsured rate to its highest point this decade (since 2000–2001).

For policymakers concerned about Kansans’ access to health insurance, the new data provide a worrisome snapshot of the two-year period preceding the economic downturn in 2008.

Percentage of uninsured Kansans on the rise

• • Kansas is one of 10 states that showed an increase in its uninsured rate from two years ago.
  • At 12.5 percent, the percentage who are uninsured is up from 11.3 percent last year (2005–2006) and 10.5 percent the year before (2004–2005).
  • About 34,000 more Kansans — adults and children — were uninsured in 2006–2007 than in 2005–2006.
  • Approximately 340,000 Kansans were uninsured in 2006–
  • The most recent uninsured rate in Kansas continues to be lower than the U.S. rate.
  • The official uninsured rate for the nation declined from 15.8 percent in 2006 to 15.3 percent in 2007, but this followed several years of steady in­creases. The national rate is typically reported for a single year, while state rates are averaged over two years because of smaller sample sizes. If the national rate is averaged in the same way as state rates, it is unchanged from 2005–2006, as illustrated in Figure 1.

No improvement in percentage of uninsured children

• • The uninsured rate among Kansas children under 19 was almost 8 percent in 2006–2007.
  • About 58,000 Kansas children were uninsured in 2006–2007.
  • While the percentage of children who are uninsured appears to have increased in the last two years, the rate is statistically unchanged.

Uninsured rate higher among Kansas adults

• • The uninsured rate among Kansas adults age 19–64 was 17 percent in 2006– 2007, up from 16 percent in 2005–2006 and 14 percent in 2004–2005.
  • The adult uninsured rate is at its highest point this decade.
  • Approximately 278,000 Kansas adults were unin­sured in 2006–2007, an increase of about 27,000 from 2005– 2006.

Increases in uninsured rates among adults merit continued monitoring

• • Adults age 35–64 comprised about 40 percent of the uninsured in 2006–2007 (Figure 2).
  • The uninsured rate among adults age 35–44, at 17 percent in 2006– 2007, is significantly higher than in the early part of this decade, when the rate was between 10 and 12 percent.
  • The uninsured rate among adults age 45–54 increased to 13 per­cent in 2006–2007, after hovering between 8 percent and 10 percent throughout this decade.
  • The uninsured rate among adults age 55–64 was 10 percent in 2006–2007, up from 8 percent in 2005–2006, but similar to previous rates reported this decade.

Almost half of uninsured adults work full-time, year-round

• • 46 percent of uninsured adults worked full-time, year-round in 2006–2007.
  • These workers are a larger share of the uninsured adult population than two years ago.
  • The uninsured rate of 13 percent in 2006–2007 among full-time, year-round workers is at its highest point this decade.
  • The uninsured rate among part-time, year-round workers was 24 percent in 2006–2007, up from 17 percent in 2005–2006. However, large variations in the rates for this sub-group are not uncommon given the small sample size.

Young adults constitute a large share of the uninsured.

Data for this fact sheet are from the March Current Population Survey, conducted annually by the U.S. Census Bureau. The most recent survey results for calendar year 2007 were released at the end of August 2008. The Census Bureau recommends using two-year averages to capture state-level trends more accurately. The U.S. uninsured rate, however, is based on a much larger sample size and is typically reported for a single year.