Policy Matters

The percentage of Mississippians covered by private insurance declining

The Census Bureau estimates that 502,000 people in Mississippi were without health insurance in 2009. The proportion of Mississippi’s children covered by health insurance has risen this decade. However, there were still 85,000 children in Mississippi (10.9%) without insurance coverage in 2008-2009. Overall, 17.6 percent of Mississippians lacked health insurance coverage during the same time period.

The data also reveal that private insurance coverage has fallen substantially this decade as employers and individuals find it increasingly difficult to pay for rising insurance premiums. The percentage of Mississippians covered by private insurance dropped to the lowest level of the decade at 53.1 percent. In 1999, 68 percent of Mississippi’s residents were covered by private insurance. 

Percent of Mississippians Covered by Private Insurance Declines to 53.1% in 2009
Mississippi and the United States, 1999-2009

The released health insurance data estimate that over half a million Mississippians are still without health insurance. The persistently large number of Mississippians without coverage, and the continual erosion of private coverage illustrate the importance of national health reform. The new health insurance exchanges and expanded Medicaid will enable many Mississippi families to secure health coverage and move closer to self-sufficiency.