Health
People Without Health Insurance

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People Without Health Insurance

What does this measure?

The percentage of people under 65 who are not covered by some form of health insurance, including public programs such as Medicaid and Medicare.

Why is this important?

Health insurance is critical to families' and individuals' access to care, financial security and peace of mind. Those without insurance may delay getting needed care and forgo preventive care altogether, which can lead to medical problems that are more serious and expensive to treat. Insurance allows the often-high cost of health services to be spread out over many years and facilitates risk-sharing across the population. Financial ruin can be the result if an uninsured family must cope with a major illness or injury. In addition, charity care provided by hospitals to those without insurance drives up the cost of private insurance and the tax burden.

How is the region performing?

In 2020, 5% of the region's residents under the age of 65 were without health insurance, the same as the statewide (excluding NYC) rate of 5%, and below the 10% national rate. The region's rate improved by about 8 percentage points from 2008, slightly above the national improvement of about 7 points and the state improvement of 6 points. Columbia, Greene, Sullivan and Ulster counties were on the higher end of rates of uninsured residents (6%) in 2020. Putnam had the lowest rate, at 4%.

Notes about the data

Comparable data not available for earlier years.

People Without Health Insurance
2008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020
Region13%12%12%12%11%11%8%7%6%6%5%5%5%
Columbia County13%13%13%12%12%11%9%7%6%6%6%6%6%
Dutchess County12%11%11%11%11%9%8%6%5%5%5%5%5%
Greene County15%14%13%12%11%11%9%7%6%6%6%5%6%
Orange County13%12%12%12%11%10%8%6%6%6%5%5%5%
Putnam County10%8%10%9%9%9%7%6%5%5%4%4%4%
Sullivan County16%15%16%14%14%14%11%9%7%7%6%6%6%
Ulster County14%13%13%13%13%13%9%8%6%7%6%6%6%
NYS (excluding NYC)11%11%12%11%10%10%8%6%6%5%5%5%5%
U.S.17%17%18%17%17%17%14%11%10%10%10%11%10%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Figures are for people under 65. Figures prior to 2008 are not comparable.




Number of People Without Health Insurance
2008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020
Region122,006113,807114,274108,746106,22799,75178,45061,61353,82952,65448,92647,14047,949
Columbia County6,6166,2406,7145,9125,8245,3684,2683,4082,9912,7752,5972,5242,646
Dutchess County27,73225,96526,25125,27525,03022,25719,18114,53012,19812,35111,71712,12410,605
Greene County5,8475,1614,8924,3704,1493,8393,1562,4412,0011,9501,9211,6871,881
Orange County43,02040,59638,36937,56335,10133,60126,10220,73519,54418,22717,38015,77517,206
Putnam County8,5826,8858,4727,7787,8757,5666,0694,5593,9594,0313,4263,3693,430
Sullivan County9,9549,04810,0619,0898,6999,0116,5805,2604,0873,8833,6463,6853,808
Ulster County20,25519,91219,51518,75919,54918,10913,09410,6809,0499,4378,2397,9768,373
NYS (excluding NYC)1,026,1081,013,6881,075,4751,002,791964,717942,286731,397588,096504,108483,612437,549433,509430,681
U.S.42,872,79845,041,84046,556,80345,725,53544,960,04644,477,97036,013,97029,165,22726,749,66827,423,48527,954,32928,980,72327,895,218

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Figures prior to 2008 are not comparable.




INDICATORS TREND | STATE


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