NHIS Shows Stagnation in Children’s Uninsurance Rates Persists

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released early estimates from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) on rates of health coverage in the first three quarters of 2014 (January through September). NHIS estimates provide preliminary evidence of how implementation of major provisions of the ACA – including Medicaid expansion and health insurance exchange marketplaces – drive rates of health insurance coverage in the nation.

In addition, this is one of the first federal surveys with data on how many and what percent of people with private health insurance obtained coverage through the exchange by type of marketplace (state-based or federally-facilitated). Less than one percent of children had exchange-based private health insurance while 2.6 percent of adults (ages 18 to 64) had exchange-based coverage in the first nine months of 2014.

The survey data points to significant decreases in uninsurance for adults (ages 18 to 64 years old) – particularly for adults living in Medicaid expansion states – and young adults ages 19 to 25 years old.

On the other hand, there has been no significant change in uninsurance rates for children, which is unfortunately becoming a familiar trend. Between 2013 and the first nine months of 2014, children’s uninsurance rates remained stagnant for all three NHIS coverage measures – uninsured at the time of the interview (5.9% in the first nine months of 2014), uninsured for at least part of the year (10.1%), and uninsured for more than one year (3.2%). As the authors of the report explain:

“Among children aged 0-17, the percentage who were uninsured at the time of interview has generally decreased from 13.9% in 1997 to 5.9% in the first 9 months of 2014…but remained stable from 2011 to 2014.”

There is some good news from NHIS, particularly for our nation’s most vulnerable children. Among children in poverty, there has been a significant decrease in the rate of uninsurance. For children living in poverty (under 100% FPL), uninsurance rates decreased from 7.8% in 2013 to 6.1% in the first nine months of 2014. Near-poor children (100-200% FPL) and not-poor children (above 200% FPL) did not see any significant change in the rate of uninsurance.

Here at CCF, I’ll be (impatiently) waiting for federal data from larger surveys (ACS and CPS) to get a better understanding of children’s uninsurance rate trends, particularly on a state-by-state basis. While we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the ACA and decreasing rates of uninsurance for adults, commitment to improve coverage rates for children – through the extension of CHIP and enrollment efforts – must remain a priority.

 

Latest