Community Life
People Without Health Insurance

Decreasing


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 our region doing?

In 2021, 3% of residents under 65 in MetroWest did not have health insurance, on par with the state and lower than the 10% rate for the nation. The three counties all have comparable rates of uninsured people, within one or two percentage points of each other. These rates have declined just slightly since 2008.

Notes about the data

Figures are for people under 65. Figures prior to 2008 are not comparable.

People Without Health Insurance
20082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021
United States17%17%18%17%17%17%14%11%10%10%10%11%10%10%
Massachusetts4%5%5%5%4%4%4%3%3%3%3%4%3%3%
Region4%4%4%4%4%4%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%
Middlesex County4%5%5%4%4%4%3%3%3%3%3%3%3%2%
Norfolk County3%3%4%3%3%3%3%2%2%2%2%2%2%2%
Worcester County4%5%5%5%5%4%4%3%3%3%3%4%3%3%

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
20082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021
United States42,872,79845,041,84046,556,80345,725,53544,960,04644,477,97036,013,97029,165,22726,749,66827,423,48527,954,32928,980,72327,895,21827,558,913
Massachusetts240,442269,241281,724267,661246,614238,392208,262180,139165,417182,389182,533195,726174,212162,727
Region91,870108,583110,141105,232100,01696,28780,96270,51966,12874,26371,37678,59270,42466,844
Middlesex County46,58758,62957,13556,75151,88851,17141,50438,31135,01639,76936,69141,31738,42831,725
Norfolk County18,77218,41720,37317,67616,59916,99515,53112,22211,89113,02213,76713,59813,25314,027
Worcester County26,51131,53732,63330,80531,52928,12123,92719,98619,22121,47220,91823,67718,74321,092

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




INDICATORS REGIONAL TREND
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families Increasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Decreasing
Reports of Domestic Violence Increasing
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work Not Applicable
Households With Internet Access Increasing
Voter Participation Rate Decreasing
Average Charitable Contribution Maintaining
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Opioid Overdose Mortality Rate Increasing
Crimes Against People Decreasing
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Total Population Increasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Population by Age Not Applicable
Change in Population by Age/Gender Not Applicable
Seniors Living Alone Decreasing
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Change in Total Jobs by Sector Not Applicable
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Maintaining
Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
High-Tech Jobs Decreasing
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Prekindergarten Participation Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
School Spending Per Student Maintaining
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Chronically Absent Students Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Education Level Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving Temporary Assistance Maintaining
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
80/20 Income Ratio Maintaining
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates Maintaining
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership Increasing
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent Not Applicable
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homelessness Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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