While the poverty rate remained steady in 2012, the amount of U.S. citizens with health insurance increased by about a third of 1 percent, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report. Almost 85 percent of Americans had some form of health insurance in 2012 (but 15 percent of Americans live in poverty–while overlap exists, this is an equation that still makes me feel uneasy). Yet 48 million Americans still weren’t covered in 2012, which isn’t statistically different from the 48.6 million who weren’t covered in 2011.
The number of children without health insurance showed the largest decrease–from 9.4 percent in 2011 to 8.9 percent in 2011.
From the Census Bureau‘s findings:
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
- The percentage of people covered by private health insurance in 2012 was not statistically different from 2011, at 63.9 percent. This was the second consecutive year that the percentage of people covered by private health insurance coverage was not statistically different from the previous year’s estimate. The percentage covered by employment-based health insurance in 2012 was not statistically different from 2011, at 54.9 percent.
- The percentage of people covered by government health insurance increased to 32.6 percent in 2012, from 32.2 percent. The percentage covered by Medicaid in 2012 was not statistically different from 2011, at 16.4 percent. The percentage covered by Medicare rose over the period, from 15.2 percent in 2011 to 15.7 percent in 2012. Since 2009, Medicaid has covered more people than Medicare (50.9 million compared with 48.9 million in 2012).
- The percent of children younger than 18 without health insurance declined to 8.9 percent (6.6 million) in 2012 from 9.4 percent (7.0 million) in 2011. The uninsured rates did not show a statistical change for all other age groups: 19 to 25, 26 to 34, 35 to 44, 45 to 64 and people 65 and older.
- The uninsured rate for children in poverty (12.9 percent) was higher than the rate for children not in poverty (7.7 percent).
- In 2012, the uninsured rates decreased as household income increased from 24.9 percent for those in households with annual income less than $25,000 to 7.9 percent in households with income of $75,000 or more.
The Census Bureau collected the survey information between February and April 2013.
