February 1999

Sources of Health Insurance and Characteristics of the Uninsured

Mid-Atlantic States, 1997

New York

• The percentage of New York's nonelderly population (under age 65) without health insurance coverage in 1997 was 20.0 percent. This was higher than the national rate, 18.3 percent. New York's nonelderly population also had a lower rate of private coverage, 65.4 percent, than the national rate, 70.9 percent.

• Children living in New York—infants through age 17—had a lower rate of employment-based health insurance coverage, 55.2 percent, than the national rate, 59.7 percent. The uninsured rate for children in New York, 15.5 percent, was also higher than the national rate, 15.0 percent.

• Children living in families with incomes just above the federal poverty level—100 percent to 149 percent of poverty—were the most likely to be uninsured, 35.5 percent, and children in families with incomes at 400 percent or more of the federal poverty level were least likely to be uninsured, 6.0 percent.

• New York workers had a slightly lower rate of employment-based health insurance coverage, 70.6 percent, than the national rate, 72.2 percent. Also, 53.7 percent of New York workers had employment-based health insurance coverage in their own name (meaning they were the primary beneficiaries), compared with 55.0 percent for the nation.

• Larger firms were more likely than smaller firms to provide coverage: 70.3 percent of New York workers in firms with 1,000 or more employees had coverage in their own name, compared with 25.9 percent of workers in firms with fewer than 10 employees.

• Among New York workers, the most likely to have employment-based health insurance in their own name were those in government, 71.8 percent, and in finance, insurance, and real estate, 70.6 percent. Government workers had the lowest uninsured rate in the state, 9.4 percent, followed by finance, insurance, and real estate workers, 9.7 percent. Workers in agriculture/mining and in construction had the highest uninsured rates in the state, 49.2 percent and 36.4 percent, respectively.

• Among individuals ages 18–64, full-time workers had a higher rate of employment-based coverage, 76.7 per-cent, than part-time workers, 59.2 percent. They had a lower uninsured rate, 18.0 percent, than part-time workers, 24.9 percent. Among nonworkers, 36.6 percent had employment-based coverage, and 24.9 percent were uninsured.

New Jersey

• The percentage of New Jersey's nonelderly population without health insurance coverage in 1997 was 18.4 percent. This was slightly higher than the national rate, 18.3 percent. New Jersey's nonelderly population also had a higher rate of private coverage, 74.6 percent, than the national rate, 70.9 percent.

• Children living in New Jersey—infants through age 17—had a higher rate of employment-based health insurance coverage, 66.7 percent, than the national rate, 59.7 percent. The uninsured rate for children in New Jersey, 15.1 percent, was also slightly higher than the national rate, 15.0 percent.

• Children in families with incomes just above the federal poverty level—100 percent to 149 percent of poverty—were most likely to be uninsured, 30.0 percent, and children in families with incomes at 400 percent or more of the federal poverty level were least likely to be uninsured, less than 7.0 percent.

• New Jersey workers had a higher rate of employment-based health insurance coverage, 75.5 percent, than the national rate, 72.2 percent. Also, 56.7 percent of New Jersey workers had employment-based health insurance coverage in their own name (meaning they were the primary beneficiaries), compared with 55.0 percent for the nation.

• Larger firms were more likely than smaller firms to provide coverage: 70.6 percent of New Jersey workers in firms with 1,000 or more employees had coverage in their own name, compared with 31.2 percent of workers in firms with fewer than 10 employees.

• Among New Jersey workers, the most likely to have employment-based health insurance in their own name were those in government, 76.1 percent, and in transportation, communications, and utilities, 75.1 percent. Workers in government had the lowest uninsured rate in the state, 8.2 percent, followed by those in finance, insurance, and real estate, 9.8 percent. Workers in agriculture/mining and in construction had the highest uninsured rates in the state at 48.7 percent and 28.3 percent, respectively.

• Among individuals ages 18–64, full-time workers had a higher rate of employment-based coverage, 81.7 per-cent, than part-time workers, 61.9 percent. They had a lower uninsured rate, 13.9 percent, than part-time workers, 23.1 percent. Among nonworkers, 46.2 percent had employment-based coverage, and 29.6 percent were uninsured.

Pennsylvania

• The percentage of Pennsylvania's nonelderly population (under age 65) without health insurance coverage in 1997 was 11.7 percent. This was lower than the national rate, 18.3 percent. Pennsylvania's nonelderly population also had a higher rate of private coverage, 78.6 percent, than the national rate, 70.9 percent.

• Children living in Pennsylvania—infants through age 17—had a higher rate of employment-based health insurance coverage, 69.2 percent, than the national rate, 59.7 percent. The uninsured rate for children in Pennsylvania, 8.2 percent, was below the national rate, 15.0 percent.

• Children living in families with incomes below the federal poverty level were the most likely to be uninsured, 15.7 percent, and children in families with incomes at 400 percent or more of the federal poverty level were least likely to be uninsured, 3.5 percent.

• Pennsylvania workers had a higher rate of employment-based health insurance coverage, 80.1 percent, than the national rate, 72.2 percent. Only Wisconsin had a higher rate of employment-based coverage for workers at 83.7 percent. Also, 60.0 percent of Pennsylvania workers had employment-based health insurance coverage in their own name (meaning they were the primary beneficiaries), compared with 55.0 percent for the nation.

• Larger firms were more likely than smaller firms to provide coverage: 70.1 percent of Pennsylvania workers in firms with 1,000 or more employees had coverage in their own name, compared with 29.8 percent of workers in firms with fewer than 10 employees.

• Among Pennsylvania workers, the most likely to have employment-based health insurance in their own name were those in manufacturing, 80.1 percent, and government, 73.5 percent. Manufacturing workers had the lowest uninsured rate in the state, 6.4 percent, followed by workers in government at 6.5 percent. Workers in agriculture/mining and those who were self-employed had the highest uninsured rates in the state at 27.9 per-cent and 24.6 percent, respectively.

• Among individuals ages 18–64, full-time workers had a higher rate of employment-based coverage, 85.4 per-cent, than part-time workers, 67.1 percent. They had a lower uninsured rate, 10.9 percent, than part-time workers, 18.1 percent. Among nonworkers, 46.5 percent had employment-based coverage, and 19.5 were uninsured.

For more information, contact Ken McDonnell, (202) 775-6342, e-mail: mcdonnell@ebri.org, or visit EBRI online at www.ebri.org.

Source: Employee Benefit Research Institute tabulations of data from the March 1998 Current Population Survey.

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