For some being uninsured is a matter of choice

"While it is true that the number of uninsured has grown, it is equally true that the number of people with insurance has continued to grow steadily," said NCPA Senior Fellow Devon Herrick.

"Whether it be cultural or a matter of economics; for a growing number of households being uninsured is a matter of choice."

How big is the uninsured problem? In 2006, according to a review of newly released Census data:

• More than 84 percent (250.4 million) of U.S. residents were privately insured or enrolled in a government health care program, such as Medicare, Medicaid or the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
• Nearly 18 million uninsured Americans live in households with annual incomes above $50,000, and could likely afford health insurance.

In addition, a recent BlueCross BlueShield Association report on the uninsured estimated nearly 14 million adults and children qualified for government programs but did not enroll. By this count, nearly 10 percent of uninsured Americans theoretically have access to some form of insurance but have chosen to forgo it.

An NCPA analysis of current and past Census Bureau reports on the uninsured are revealing:

• During the past decade, the number of people without insurance has increased by 3.5 million, while at the same time the number of Americans with insurance has also increased by nearly 25 million.
• Approximately 75 percent of uninsured spells last one year or less.
• Although immigrants (including naturalized U.S. citizens) make up slightly less than 12 percent of the population, they make up 27 percent of the uninsured.
• Over the past 10 years, the ranks of the uninsured in households earning $50,000 to $75,000 increased by 49 percent, while households earning above $75,000 increased by 90 percent.

"The uninsured population is a diverse group, each with a different reason for lacking insurance," said Herrick. "Income may be a factor, but it is not the only one. Some come from cultures without a strong history of paying premiums for health insurance; others don't see it as a good economic value."

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