Part 2: The Lost Decade: More Mississippians Lack Health Insurance

September 14th, 2011

Yesterday, I wrote about the recently released United States Census Bureau data on poverty and income. Today, we look at the rising number of Mississippians without health insurance. According to the newly released Census data, the overall rate of Mississippians aged 65 and younger without health insurance was 22 percent – up from 16.5 percent in 1999-2000.

Rising rates of uninsured Mississippians demonstrate that the status quo is leaving more working Mississippians without health coverage than a decade ago. The failure of the status quo to connect working Mississippians to health insurance also underscores the opportunity offered by the Affordable Care Act.

In August, Mississippi received $20 million from the federal government to set up the state health exchange – one of the critical components of healthcare reform. As efforts to implement the Affordable Care Act continue, it is essential that diverse interests work together to enhance the health – and, ultimately, productivity – of Mississippi’s working families.

Source:

United States Census Bureau, Current Population Survey