Characteristics of Uninsured North Carolinians

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1 Characteristics North Carolinians North Carolina Institute Medicine Data Snapshot Nearly one in five non-elderly North Carolinians were uninsured from 2011 to This represents a slight increase from the previous year ( ) and a slight increase 0.9% from This upward five-year trend is largely due to the increase in the number non-elderly uninsured adults (19-64). Since 2006 there has been a 6.7% decline in the number North Carolinians with incomes below 100% FPL who are uninsured. This decline is largely due to the decline in the number children in this income category that are uninsured a decrease 12.2% since For persons falling between 100% and 138% FPL, there was a 6.4% increase in the number uninsured between 2006 and 2011; although children falling in this category experienced a slight decrease (2.7%) in the number uninsured, adults in this category experienced a 9.7% increase in the number uninsured. Further, there was an increase in the number individuals with incomes above 250% FPL who were uninsured compared to Adults who were full time workers comprised 45.4% the uninsured adult population in North Carolina, down 6.4% from From the job industry perspective, there was a 15.9% increase in uninsured transportation workers and a 9.7% increase in uninsured manufacturing workers since Rates uninsurance among rural and urban North Carolinians remain approximately equal with 19.5% the urban population being uninsured and 20.8% the rural population being uninsured. As October 1, 2013, many uninsured North Carolinians have become eligible for new coverage options through North Carolina s federally facilitated health insurance marketplace, which represents one the major provisions the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). Although North Carolina s state government did not choose to expand Medicaid, many individuals who were eligible under the existing criteria are seeking coverage. More than 200,000 people selected a plan through the health insurance marketplace as March 1, Many these individuals were previously uninsured. Some, however, may have had prior health insurance coverage, but switched to marketplace plans because they were more affordable or comprehensive. We do not yet have data on the impact the ACA on the total numbers uninsured in North Carolina. 1 This data snapshot provides information about uninsured individuals in North Carolina, including family income, race/ethnicity, workforce status, age, gender, citizenship, rural/urban residence, health status, and industry. estimates are presented for , using data from the US Census Bureau. County-level estimates the uninsured are available at 1 State Marketplace Statistics. The Kaiser Family Foundation. (March 12, 2014). 1

2 Interpreting the Data Consider the second row data for the uninsured non-elderly persons with family incomes less than 138% the FPL. In North Carolina: Total Population Ages , < 100% FPG In There were 430,000 non-elderly uninsured with family incomes less than 100% the FPL 26.4% the non-elderly uninsured had family incomes less than 100% the FPL. 29.3% non-elderly families with incomes less than 100% the FPL were uninsured. From to : The number non-elderly uninsured with incomes less than 100% the FPL decreased by 27,000. The percentage non-elderly uninsured with incomes less than 100% the FPL decreased by 3.6% (i.e. from % the non-elderly uninsured had family incomes less than 100% FPL compared to 26.4% from ). The percentage non-elderly with family incomes less than 100% FPL who were uninsured decreased by 6.7% (i.e. from % the non-elderly with incomes below 100% FPL were uninsured compared to 29.3% from ). 2

3 Table 1: Ages 0-64 Total Population Ages , <100% FPG %- 138% FPG % FPG % FPG %-400%FPG >400% FPG Gender Male Female Race/Ethnicity White, Not Hispanic Black, Not Hispanic Not White or Black or Hispanic Hispanic Age Citizenship Citizen 1, Not a citizen Urban/rural Urban 1, Rural Health Status Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor Family Workforce Status No Workers Only PT Workers FT Worker FT Workers % non-elderly uninsured individuals (ages 0-64) were used in the calculation for both years. Therefore there is no change in the percent all uninsured between and

4 Table 2: Ages 0-18 Total Population Ages <100% FPG %- 138% FPG % FPG % FPG %-400%FPG >400% FPG Gender Male Female Race/Ethnicity White, Not Hispanic Black, Not Hispanic Not White or Black or Hispanic Hispanic Citizenship Citizen Not a citizen Urban/rural Urban Rural Health Status Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor Living with Parents? Both parents Mother only Father only Neither parent Family Workforce Status No Workers Only PT Workers FT Worker FT Workers

5 Table 3: Ages Total Population Ages , <100% FPG %- 138% FPG % FPG % FPG %-400%FPG >400% FPG Gender Male Female Race/Ethnicity White, Not Hispanic Black, Not Hispanic Not White or Black or Hispanic Hispanic Age Citizenship Citizen 1, Not a citizen Urban/rural Urban Rural Health Status Excellent Very Good Good Fair Poor Family Workforce Status No Workers Only PT Workers FT Worker FT Workers

6 Table 3: Ages Continued Total Population Ages , Individual Labor Force Status Not in Labor Force Unemployed Part Time Full Time Industry Agriculture Construction Manufacture Transportation Trade Health & Education Finance Government Hospitality Other Estimates prepared for the North Carolina Institute Medicine by Mark Holmes, PhD, Health Policy and Management, UNC Gillings School Global Public Health. The North Carolina Institute Medicine (NCIOM) serves as a non-political source health policy analysis and advice in North Carolina. The NCIOM is an independent, quasi-state agency that was chartered by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1983 to provide balanced, nonpartisan information on issues relevant to the health North Carolina s population. To meet its mission, the NCIOM convenes task forces knowledgeable and interested individuals to study these issues and develop workable solutions. For more information, visit For more information on this publication or the NCIOM, contact Pam Silberman, JD, DrPH, President and CEO the North Carolina Institute Medicine at , or visit 6