Health News
- Infographics Offer Perspective, More Data On Impact Of Health-reform Law In Kentucky
New infographics are available with information about the big reduction in the number of Kentuckians without health insurance from 2013 to 2014, when the federal health reform law took full effect. It includes data based on characteristics such as age,...
- Kentucky's Uninsured Rate Continues To Drop; Now 9 Percent
The share of Kentuckians who have no health coverage has dropped to 9 percent, according to the latest data from The Gallup Organization. That makes Kentucky second, following Arkansas, among the states in the percentage of formerly uninsured who now...
- Economic Upturn Boosts Share Of Kentuckians On Employer-based Health Coverage; Health Reform Boosts Number On Public Plans
Half of Kentucky's working-age adults now get health insurance through their employers, up from 37 percent two years ago, reversing a downward trend that began with the Great Recession. Meanwhile, under federal health reform, many more Kentuckians...
- Kentucky Poverty Rate Is Fifth Highest In U.s., But A Larger Share Of Kentuckians Had Health Insurance In 2012 Than In 2011
By Molly Burchett Kentucky Health News In 2012, as U.S. incomes remained lower and poverty rates higher than in 2007, the year before the recession, Kentucky poverty rates increased and one in four Kentucky children were living in poverty, according to...
- Census Data Show Every County's Numbers Of Uninsured And Those Who Would Be Covered By Medicaid Expansion
For county-by-county data, see below.The U.S. Census Bureau released data this week showing 2010 estimates of health insurance coverage for all 50 states and each of the nation?s counties. The data are exactly what journalists need to do their own stories...
Health News
Kentucky had the largest decrease, from 2013 to 2014, in percentage of residents without health insurance
By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News
Kentucky led the nation in the largest drop in the percentage of residents without health insurance from 2013 to 2014, according to a report released Sept. 16 by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The percentage of uninsured Kentuckians dropped to 8.5 percent in 2014 from 14.3 percent in 2013. The drop of 5.8 percentage points was double the national decrease of 2.9 percent. The report says 366,000 Kentuckians were uninsured in 2014, down 250,000 from 616,000 in 2013.
"The information from the U.S. Census Bureau is yet another independent, unbiased confirmation that Kentucky is on the path to make transformational changes in the lives and health of our commonwealth and the hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians who have qualified for health care coverage through Kynect since Jan. 1, 2014,? said Gov. Steve Beshear, who created the state health-insurance exchange where Kentuckians enroll in Medicaid or private insurance subsidized by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
This report confirms other public and private surveys that have shown a significant decrease in the number of Kentuckians without insurance since implementation of the ACA, which took full effect Jan. 1, 2014. The survey results differ slightly due to methodology.
The Gallup Organization reported in August that Kentucky's uninsured rate dropped to 9 percent during the first half of 2015, compared to 20.4 percent in 2013.
The surveys show that states that expanded Medicaid eligibility, to people in households with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty line, saw the greatest reductions of their uninsured populations. In Kentucky the expansion covers about 400,000 people.
Census data show that the Fifth Congressional District, Kentucky's poorest, had the greatest drop in uninsured residents, going from 17.1 percent to 8.4 percent. Other decreases by district, according to Ron Crouch of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet: First, 15.9 to 9.3 percent; Second, 13 to 8.2 percent; Third, 13.4 to 7.8 percent; Fourth, 12.4 to 7.9 percent; Sixth, 14.1 to 9.2 percent.
Kentucky Health News
Kentucky led the nation in the largest drop in the percentage of residents without health insurance from 2013 to 2014, according to a report released Sept. 16 by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The percentage of uninsured Kentuckians dropped to 8.5 percent in 2014 from 14.3 percent in 2013. The drop of 5.8 percentage points was double the national decrease of 2.9 percent. The report says 366,000 Kentuckians were uninsured in 2014, down 250,000 from 616,000 in 2013.
"The information from the U.S. Census Bureau is yet another independent, unbiased confirmation that Kentucky is on the path to make transformational changes in the lives and health of our commonwealth and the hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians who have qualified for health care coverage through Kynect since Jan. 1, 2014,? said Gov. Steve Beshear, who created the state health-insurance exchange where Kentuckians enroll in Medicaid or private insurance subsidized by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
The Gallup Organization reported in August that Kentucky's uninsured rate dropped to 9 percent during the first half of 2015, compared to 20.4 percent in 2013.
The surveys show that states that expanded Medicaid eligibility, to people in households with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty line, saw the greatest reductions of their uninsured populations. In Kentucky the expansion covers about 400,000 people.
"This is important to not just for making the population and workforce healthier with access to health care insurance but also the potential to create jobs across Kentucky, needed additional training and education for many of those jobs creating higher pay, and new tax revenue to pay for Kynect and Medicaid expansion as well as other needs in Kentucky," said Crouch, the cabinet's director of research and statistics.
The figures are based on continuing Census surveys, which do not provide enough data for reilable estimates in most counties. Last year, the state gave rough estimates for the uninsured population in each county:
The figures are based on continuing Census surveys, which do not provide enough data for reilable estimates in most counties. Last year, the state gave rough estimates for the uninsured population in each county:
- Infographics Offer Perspective, More Data On Impact Of Health-reform Law In Kentucky
New infographics are available with information about the big reduction in the number of Kentuckians without health insurance from 2013 to 2014, when the federal health reform law took full effect. It includes data based on characteristics such as age,...
- Kentucky's Uninsured Rate Continues To Drop; Now 9 Percent
The share of Kentuckians who have no health coverage has dropped to 9 percent, according to the latest data from The Gallup Organization. That makes Kentucky second, following Arkansas, among the states in the percentage of formerly uninsured who now...
- Economic Upturn Boosts Share Of Kentuckians On Employer-based Health Coverage; Health Reform Boosts Number On Public Plans
Half of Kentucky's working-age adults now get health insurance through their employers, up from 37 percent two years ago, reversing a downward trend that began with the Great Recession. Meanwhile, under federal health reform, many more Kentuckians...
- Kentucky Poverty Rate Is Fifth Highest In U.s., But A Larger Share Of Kentuckians Had Health Insurance In 2012 Than In 2011
By Molly Burchett Kentucky Health News In 2012, as U.S. incomes remained lower and poverty rates higher than in 2007, the year before the recession, Kentucky poverty rates increased and one in four Kentucky children were living in poverty, according to...
- Census Data Show Every County's Numbers Of Uninsured And Those Who Would Be Covered By Medicaid Expansion
For county-by-county data, see below.The U.S. Census Bureau released data this week showing 2010 estimates of health insurance coverage for all 50 states and each of the nation?s counties. The data are exactly what journalists need to do their own stories...