Section 7 Health Insurance Coverage
(2 tables in this section)This section presents statistics on health insurance coverage, especially the health insurance coverage of people with disabilities. Specifically, the data address the percentage of people with and without disabilities who have some sort of health insurance coverage. This section also addresses the type of health insurance coverage possessed by people with disabilities. The principal source of these data is the U.S. Census Bureau, specifically the American Community Survey.
Table 7.1 - Civilians Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for the United States and States by Disability Status: 2010
In 2010, 82.1 percent of individuals with disabilities ages 18 to 64 years living in the community had health insurance coverage. In contrast, 78.2 percent of individuals without disabilities ages 18 to 64 years living in the community had health insurance coverage—a health insurance coverage gap between those without and with disabilities of 3.9 percentage points. In other words, in the United States as a whole, 3.9 percent more individuals with disabilities had health insurance than individuals without disabilities. The health insurance gap ranges from 9.7 percentage points in New Mexico to -6.5 percentage points in Wyoming.
Table 7.2 - Civilians with Disabilities Ages 18 to 64 Years Living in the Community for the United States and States by Type of Coverage: 2010
In 2010, 43.0 percent of individuals with disabilities ages 18 years and over living in the community had private health insurance and 50.5 percent had public health insurance (some had both), while 17.9 percent of individuals with disabilities ages 18 years and over living in the community did not have health insurance. The state with the smallest percentage of people with disabilities without health insurance coverage was Massachusetts (4.5 percent). The state with the largest percentage of people with disabilities without health insurance coverage was Wyoming (26.2 percent).
American Community Survey (ACS)—The American Community Survey is a large, continuous demographic survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau that will provide accurate and up-to-date profiles of America’s communities every year. Annual and multi-year estimates of population and housing data are generated for small areas, including tracts and population subgroups. This information is collected by mailing questionnaires to a sample of addresses.
Disability Status (ACS)—The U.S. Census Bureau used six questions to identify persons with disabilities. A response of “yes” to any one of the questions indicates that the person in question has a disability. However, the cognitive, ambulatory, self-care, and independent living related questions are not used to identify disability in individuals less than 5 years old, and the independent living related question is not used to identify disability in individuals less than 18 years old.