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Report: Vermont second highest of parents with health insurance

Submitted by tim on

Vermont Business Magazine In the United States, the proportion of parents without health insurance has dropped 39 percent in just six years, according to the Annie E Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Center. Today, only 11 percent of parents lack health coverage. At the state level, the rate of uninsured parents fell without exception. West Virginia reported the greatest change — a drop of 14 percent — leaving just 5 percent of parents uninsured in 2016. Maine, Massachusetts and Wisconsin reported the smallest drop — a dip of 1 percent. But those states already have high rates of coverage. Massachusetts is first with only 2 percent of parents not covered by health insurance. Vermont was tied for second with Hawaii at 3 percent not covered.

Despite these improvements, 6.4 million parents are still without health insurance. One in five of these parents live in Texas, which has the highest rate of uninsured parents nationwide (23%). At the other end of the spectrum sits Massachusetts, where just 2 percent of parents lack health insurance.

Unforeseen medical expenses and accidents can threaten a family's economic stability, and this risk is even greater when a family member is uninsured. Parents who lack coverage may forgo needed medical attention, which can hinder their ability to take care of themselves and their loved ones. On the other hand, having health insurance supports parents' well-being and increases the likelihood that their children are also insured.

Data Provided By National KIDS COUNT
Location Data Type 2009 2010 2014 2015 2016
Alabama
Number
164,000
170,000
141,000
114,000
100,000
Percent
17%
19%
16%
13%
11%
Alaska
Number
30,000
25,000
23,000
17,000
19,000
Percent
20%
16%
15%
12%
13%
Arizona
Number
253,000
240,000
193,000
157,000
150,000
Percent
20%
19%
16%
13%
12%
Arkansas
Number
151,000
137,000
94,000
75,000
65,000
Percent
25%
24%
17%
13%
12%
California
Number
1,553,000
1,604,000
1,112,000
796,000
672,000
Percent
20%
21%
15%
11%
9%
Colorado
Number
180,000
186,000
134,000
116,000
103,000
Percent
17%
18%
12%
11%
9%
Connecticut
Number
59,000
55,000
42,000
40,000
34,000
Percent
8%
8%
6%
6%
5%
Delaware
Number
15,000
18,000
15,000
12,000
10,000
Percent
9%
10%
9%
7%
6%
District of Columbia
Number
4,000
4,000
4,000
3,000
3,000
Percent
5%
5%
5%
3%
3%
Florida
Number
838,000
843,000
655,000
533,000
504,000
Percent
25%
26%
20%
16%
15%
Georgia
Number
455,000
472,000
400,000
354,000
329,000
Percent
22%
24%
20%
18%
16%
Hawaii
Number
14,000
15,000
11,000
7,000
7,000
Percent
5%
6%
4%
3%
3%
Idaho
Number
79,000
78,000
61,000
46,000
47,000
Percent
22%
23%
19%
14%
14%
Illinois
Number
353,000
360,000
268,000
218,000
201,000
Percent
13%
14%
11%
9%
8%
Indiana
Number
212,000
225,000
183,000
146,000
125,000
Percent
16%
17%
15%
12%
10%
Iowa
Number
61,000
66,000
47,000
34,000
33,000
Percent
10%
11%
8%
6%
5%
Kansas
Number
97,000
99,000
79,000
71,000
63,000
Percent
16%
17%
14%
12%
11%
Kentucky
Number
164,000
151,000
87,000
57,000
44,000
Percent
18%
18%
10%
7%
5%
Louisiana
Number
201,000
195,000
158,000
129,000
106,000
Percent
22%
22%
19%
15%
13%
Maine
Number
21,000
18,000
21,000
18,000
15,000
Percent
9%
8%
10%
8%
7%
Maryland
Number
131,000
129,000
95,000
85,000
75,000
Percent
11%
11%
8%
7%
7%
Massachusetts
Number
37,000
39,000
33,000
27,000
22,000
Percent
3%
3%
3%
2%
2%
Michigan
Number
253,000
246,000
163,000
114,000
103,000
Percent
13%
13%
9%
6%
6%
Minnesota
Number
90,000
92,000
63,000
54,000
52,000
Percent
8%
8%
6%
5%
5%
Mississippi
Number
127,000
134,000
99,000
87,000
79,000
Percent
22%
23%
18%
16%
15%
Missouri
Number
191,000
185,000
162,000
128,000
128,000
Percent
16%
16%
14%
11%
11%
Montana
Number
38,000
39,000
32,000
22,000
17,000
Percent
22%
21%
18%
12%
9%
Nebraska
Number
53,000
52,000
47,000
42,000
45,000
Percent
14%
14%
12%
11%
12%
Nevada
Number
127,000
136,000
93,000
78,000
78,000
Percent
24%
25%
18%
15%
15%
New Hampshire
Number
30,000
33,000
23,000
17,000
14,000
Percent
11%
13%
10%
7%
6%
New Jersey
Number
204,000
226,000
212,000
175,000
166,000
Percent
11%
12%
12%
10%
9%
New Mexico
Number
97,000
105,000
74,000
58,000
46,000
Percent
25%
26%
20%
16%
13%
New York
Number
407,000
444,000
348,000
284,000
243,000
Percent
11%
12%
10%
8%
7%
North Carolina
Number
364,000
397,000
324,000
288,000
259,000
Percent
19%
21%
17%
15%
13%
North Dakota
Number
12,000
12,000
12,000
11,000
10,000
Percent
10%
9%
8%
8%
7%
Ohio
Number
251,000
240,000
164,000
134,000
115,000
Percent
11%
11%
8%
6%
5%
Oklahoma
Number
189,000
183,000
143,000
133,000
135,000
Percent
25%
25%
19%
18%
18%
Oregon
Number
143,000
146,000
86,000
66,000
57,000
Percent
19%
20%
12%
9%
8%
Pennsylvania
Number
247,000
259,000
226,000
156,000
138,000
Percent
10%
11%
10%
7%
6%
Puerto Rico
Number
49,000
46,000
29,000
26,000
28,000
Percent
7%
7%
5%
5%
5%
Rhode Island
Number
20,000
20,000
14,000
11,000
9,000
Percent
10%
10%
7%
6%
5%
South Carolina
Number
164,000
165,000
146,000
109,000
97,000
Percent
19%
19%
17%
13%
11%
South Dakota
Number
25,000
22,000
17,000
20,000
17,000
Percent
15%
14%
11%
12%
10%
Tennessee
Number
195,000
181,000
164,000
135,000
118,000
Percent
15%
15%
13%
11%
10%
Texas
Number
1,712,000
1,731,000
1,485,000
1,385,000
1,361,000
Percent
31%
31%
26%
24%
23%
Utah
Number
106,000
118,000
98,000
83,000
72,000
Percent
16%
18%
14%
12%
10%
Vermont
Number
8,000
6,000
5,000
3,000
3,000
Percent
7%
6%
4%
3%
3%
Virginia
Number
209,000
228,000
210,000
160,000
160,000
Percent
13%
14%
13%
10%
10%
Washington
Number
202,000
222,000
151,000
119,000
106,000
Percent
15%
16%
11%
9%
8%
West Virginia
Number
63,000
63,000
29,000
19,000
17,000
Percent
18%
19%
9%
6%
5%
Wisconsin
Number
78,000
81,000
86,000
65,000
63,000
Percent
7%
7%
8%
6%
6%
Wyoming
Number
22,000
22,000
15,000
14,000
13,000
Percent
19%
19%
13%
12%
12%