,,,Nearly 6.4 Million Californians Lacked Health Insurance in 2007 -- Recession Likely to Reverse Small Gains in Coverage

Nearly 6.4 Million Californians Lacked Health Insurance in 2007 -- Recession Likely to Reverse Small Gains in Coverage


 

Publication Date: December 2008

Publisher: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research

Author(s): E. Richard Brown; Shana Alex Lavarreda; Erin Peckham; Y. Jenny Chia

Research Area: Health

Keywords: health insurance; finance; California

Type: Brief

Coverage: California

Abstract:

This policy brief draws upon CHIS 2007 data to examine latest trends in health insurance for the state of California. The authors found that nearly a quarter of all Californians under age 65 -- or 6.4 million people -- were without health insurance for all or some of 2007. This number represents 19.5% of all Californians under age 65, which is slightly lower than the uninsured rate of 20.2% in 2005. However, the authors note that although the data was collected during a period of relative economic strength, the gains were small and are now likely to be reversed by the 2008-2009 recession.