UNINSURED: 14.6 percent in early 2012 (US national data)

The percentage of people who reported having no health insurance coverage at the time that they were interviewed in this survey was 14.6 percent during the first half of 2012.  This most recent survey finding is fairly consistent with similar survey data since 1998, except during the Great Recession, when it was higher, topping out at 16 percent in 2010. 

The numbers go higher when the question shifts to — have you been uninsured year?at some time during the past year?   Then, the most recent response is 18.5 percent who said “yes” when interviewed in the first half of 2012.  The high water mark on this question (since 1997 anyway) was just under one-fifth of Americans during the recent recession.

This data report from the National Center for Health Statistics is based on a sample survey of the US civilian population who are not institutionalized. 

Source: Martinez, M.E., and Cohen, R.  Health Insurance Coverage: Early Release of Estimate from the National Health Interview Survey, January-June 2012, Dec. 2012.  Click here for full text at no charge: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/earlyrelease/insur201212.pdf  Posted by AHA Resource Center, (312) 422-2050, rc@aha.org