U.S. Census Bureau data released Tuesday showed that the Kansas uninsured rate remained unchanged at 13.1 percent. This means that approximately 369,000 Kansans were uninsured in 2011/2012. Of that number, approximately 60,000 were uninsured Kansas children.
The national uninsured rate dropped slightly from 15.7 percent in 2011, to 15.4 percent in 2012. An estimated 47,951,000 Americans did not have insurance in 2012, a slight drop from 2011. These data were provided by the Current Population Survey (CPS).
Data from both surveys will be scrutinized and tracked closely over the next few years as the coverage expansion portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) take effect. One item of particular interest will be the number of young adults (ages 19-25) who gain coverage through their parents’ insurance — something specifically allowed under the ACA. Another important question will be whether there is a substantial reduction in the overall number of Americans without health insurance — certainly an expectation in 2014 when insurance marketplaces are launched in all 50 states and Medicaid coverage is expanded in more than half (although Kansas has not expanded Medicaid at this time).
Media Contacts
Cathy McNorton
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(785) 233-5443 or cmcnorton@khi.org