A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

Interact for Health CHSS: A great improvement — only 6-10 percent of NKyians uninsured


The 2017 Community Health Status Survey (CHSS) has found that 1 in 10 adults age 18-64* in our region (10 percent) reported being uninsured in 2017. This is down significantly from 2013 (19 percent) and 2010 (21 percent), but similar to 2002 (11 percent).

In Boone, Campbell, Grant and Kenton counties in Northern Kentucky, only 6 percent of adults were not insured (versus 10 percent across the region). This is a great improvement since 2013, when 17 percent reported being uninsured. Bracken, Carroll, Gallatin, Owen and Pendleton counties in Kentucky report a rate similar to the rest of the region, with 12 percent uninsured. However, this rate is less than half of the rate reported in 2013, when 26 percent were uninsured.

This is the first time CHSS has collected insurance data since the 2014 implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Since then the national uninsured rate has declined steeply. After rising to 20 percent in 2013, the percentage of uninsured adults nationwide dropped to 12 percent in 2016. Our region was similar to the nation.

Dr. O’dell Owens

“Many factors affect an individual’s health status,” says O’dell M. Owens, M.D., M.P.H., President/CEO of Interact for Health. “However, having health insurance is a critical factor in whether someone seeks the right health care at the right time. Those without health insurance are more likely to delay getting care when they need it.”
 
Uninsurance drops most among lower-income adults

The uninsured rate among adults earning less than 100% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPG) dropped steeply. In 2013, 37 percent of adults in this group were uninsured. In 2017, only 8 percent were uninsured. This decline is likely because of the expansion of Medicaid in Ohio and Kentucky, which targeted uninsured adults earning less than 138% FPG.
Similarly, the percentage of uninsured adults earning between 100% and 200% FPG dropped from 28 percent in 2013 to 19 percent in 2016. Despite this decline, adults in this group were still more likely to be uninsured than adults in other income groups.

Adults with less education more likely to be uninsured

Insurance status varied by education. Nearly 3 in 10 adults with less than a high school education (26 percent) were uninsured. This compares with 1 in 10 high school graduates (10 percent) or those with some college (9 percent), and fewer than 1 in 10 college graduates (4 percent).
 

 
Percentage of adults with unstable insurance remains steady

The stability of health insurance coverage is also a factor in access to health care. A measure of stability is whether a person has been covered continuously for the past 12 months. About 5 percent of currently insured adults age 18-64 in our region reported having been without insurance at some point in the last 12 months. This remains stable from 2013.

More information about the insurance held by adults in our region, the stability of insurance, and other topics, is available online at www.interactforhealth.org/community-health-status-survey.

The 2017 Community Health Status Survey (CHSS) was conducted by the Institute for Policy Research at the University of Cincinnati for Interact for Health. A total of 4,261 randomly selected adults residing in eight Ohio counties, nine Kentucky counties, and five Indiana counties were interviewed by telephone between August 10, 2016, and March 8, 2017. This included 1,906 landline interviews and 2,355 cell phone interviews. The potential sampling error for the overall survey data is ±1.5%. For more information about the CHSS and a list of community partners, please visit www.interactforhealth.org/community-health-status-survey.
 
Interact for Health is building healthy communities for all people. As a catalyst for health and wellness Interact promotes healthy living through grants, education, research, policy and engagement. Interact for Health is an independent foundation that serves 20 counties in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. More information is available on our website, www.interactforhealth.org.

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