Health Insurance Coverage Among Persons Age 65 or Older, Total and by Type of Insurance, 1989 to 1999
(Numbers in thousands)
1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
U.S. Total 65 or older 29,566 30,085 30,590 30,870 30,761 31,266 31,658 31,877 32,082 32,394 32,621
% 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Covered 29,258 29,808 30,301 30,514 30,397 30,976 31,358 31,541 31,749 32,036 32,199
% 99.0 99.1 99.1 98.8 98.8 99.1 99.1 98.9 99.0 98.9 98.7
Private 20,003 20,564 20,715 20,892 20,312 21,257 21,754 21,224 20,687 20,171 20,054
% 67.7 68.4 67.7 67.7 66.0 68.0 68.7 66.6 64.5 62.3 61.5
Medicare 28,251 28,793 29,377 29,705 29,372 30,175 30,521 30,616 30,870 31,085 31,231
% 95.6 95.7 96.0 96.2 95.5 96.5 96.4 96.0 96.2 96.0 95.7
Not Covered 308 276 289 356 363 290 300 336 333 358 422
% 1.0 0.9 0.9 1.2 1.2 0.9 0.9 1.1 1.0 1.1 1.3
Men Total 65 or older 12,334 12,547 12,800 12,832 12,718 13,001 13,260 13,404 13,524 13,727 13,886
% 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Covered 12,206 12,435 12,669 12,673 12,587 12,870 13,156 13,242 13,360 13,554 13,711
% 99.0 99.1 99.0 98.8 99.0 99.0 99.2 98.8 98.8 98.7 98.7
Private 8,574 8,778 8,858 8,900 8,810 9,203 9,544 9,384 9,142 8,984 8,899
% 69.5 70.0 69.2 69.4 69.3 70.8 72.0 70.0 67.6 65.4 64.1
Medicare 11,652 11,876 12,143 12,241 12,049 12,446 12,676 12,742 12,868 13,033 13,145
% 94.5 94.7 94.9 95.4 94.7 95.7 95.6 95.1 95.2 94.9 94.7
Not Covered 128 112 131 158 131 132 104 162 164 173 175
% 1.0 0.9 1.0 1.2 1.0 1.0 0.8 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.3
Women Total 65 or older 17,232 17,538 17,790 18,038 18,043 18,264 18,398 18,474 18,558 18,667 18,735
% 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Covered 17,052 17,373 17,632 17,841 17,811 18,106 18,202 18,299 18,389 18,483 18,488
% 99.0 99.1 99.1 98.9 98.7 99.1 98.9 99.1 99.1 99.0 98.7
Private 11,429 11,786 11,857 11,992 11,502 12,054 12,211 11,840 11,545 11,187 11,155
% 66.3 67.2 66.6 66.5 63.7 66.0 66.4 64.1 62.2 59.9 59.5
Medicare 16,599 16,918 17,235 17,464 17,322 17,729 17,846 17,874 18,002 18,053 18,086
% 96.3 96.5 96.9 96.8 96.0 97.1 97.0 96.8 97.0 96.7 96.5
Not Covered 180 165 158 198 232 158 196 174 169 185 248
% 1.0 0.9 0.9 1.1 1.3 0.9 1.1 0.9 0.9 1.0 1.3
65-74 Total 65 or older 17,979 18,238 18,441 18,362 18,072 18,213 18,270 18,015 17,874 17,843 17,796
% 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Covered 17,749 18,037 18,224 18,101 17,842 18,030 18,110 17,804 17,634 17,616 17,498
% 98.7 98.9 98.8 98.6 98.7 99.0 99.1 98.8 98.7 98.7 98.3
Private 12,776 13,110 12,951 12,840 12,426 12,747 13,017 12,349 11,912 11,554 11,350
% 71.1 71.9 70.2 69.9 68.8 70.0 71.2 68.5 66.6 64.8 63.8
Medicare 16,905 17,171 17,438 17,436 17,049 17,373 17,415 17,007 16,931 16,841 16,686
% 94.0 94.2 94.6 95.0 94.3 95.4 95.3 94.4 94.7 94.4 93.8
Not Covered 230 201 217 262 230 183 160 212 240 227 298
% 1.3 1.1 1.2 1.4 1.3 1.0 0.9 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.7
75-84 Total 65 or older 9,354 9,456 9,659 9,918 9,854 10,188 10,569 10,954 11,281 11,497 11,685
% 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Covered 9,300 9,397 9,600 9,851 9,793 10,106 10,472 10,870 11,207 11,412 11,586
% 99.4 99.4 99.4 99.3 99.4 99.2 99.1 99.2 99.3 99.3 99.2
Private 6,050 6,147 6,419 6,548 6,301 6,796 7,163 7,254 7,182 7,051 7,038
% 64.7 65.0 66.5 66.0 63.9 66.7 67.8 66.2 63.7 61.3 60.2
Medicare 9,175 9,283 9,485 9,737 9,691 10,020 10,376 10,770 11,073 11,269 11,450
% 98.1 98.2 98.2 98.2 98.3 98.4 98.2 98.3 98.2 98.0 98.0
Not Covered 54 59 59 67 61 82 97 84 74 85 99
% 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.8
85+ Total 65 or older 2,233 2,391 2,490 2,590 2,835 2,865 2,819 2,909 2,928 3,054 3,140
% 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Covered 2,209 2,374 2,477 2,562 2,762 2,840 2,776 2,868 2,908 3,008 3,115
% 98.9 99.3 99.5 98.9 97.4 99.1 98.5 98.6 99.3 98.5 99.2
Private 1,177 1,307 1,345 1,504 1,584 1,715 1,575 1,621 1,593 1,565 1,666
% 52.7 54.7 54.0 58.1 55.9 59.8 55.9 55.7 54.4 51.2 53.1
Medicare 2,171 2,339 2,455 2,532 2,632 2,782 2,731 2,839 2,866 2,975 3,095
% 97.2 97.9 98.6 97.8 92.8 97.1 96.9 97.6 97.9 97.4 98.6
Not Covered 24 16 13 28 73 25 43 41 20 46 25
% 1.1 0.7 0.5 1.1 2.6 0.9 1.5 1.4 0.7 1.5 0.8
Total
White, non-Hispanic65 or older 25,504 25,854 26,208 26,342 26,254 26,682 27,034 27,033 26,995 27,118 27,187
% 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Covered 25,331 25,731 26,055 26,149 26,071 26,549 26,890 26,887 26,829 26,942 26,970
% 99.3 99.5 99.4 99.3 99.3 99.5 99.5 99.5 99.4 99.4 99.2
Private 18,545 19,101 19,319 19,404 18,584 19,490 19,826 19,358 18,875 18,274 18,088
% 72.7 73.9 73.7 73.7 70.8 73.0 73.3 71.6 69.9 67.4 66.5
Medicare 24,486 24,941 25,278 25,495 25,271 25,955 26,257 26,199 26,150 26,221 26,210
% 96.0 96.5 96.5 96.8 96.3 97.3 97.1 96.9 96.9 96.7 96.4
Not Covered 173 124 153 193 183 133 143 146 166 176 217
% 0.7 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.8
Black Total 65 or older 2,487 2,547 2,606 2,660 2,510 2,557 2,478 2,616 2,691 2,723 2,754
% 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Covered 2,427 2,497 2,567 2,618 2,442 2,506 2,426 2,540 2,653 2,693 2,709
% 97.6 98.0 98.5 98.4 97.3 98.0 97.9 97.1 98.6 98.9 98.4
Private 809 838 821 886 950 1,057 1,086 1,086 1,046 1,046 1,160
% 32.5 32.9 31.5 33.3 37.9 41.4 43.8 41.5 38.9 38.4 42.1
Medicare 2,359 2,376 2,500 2,529 2,337 2,397 2,320 2,425 2,563 2,606 2,606
% 94.8 93.3 95.9 95.1 93.1 93.8 93.6 92.7 95.3 95.7 94.6
Not Covered 60 51 39 42 68 50 52 76 38 30 45
% 2.4 2.0 1.5 1.6 2.7 2.0 2.1 2.9 1.4 1.1 1.6
Asian Total 65 or older 465 514 555 530 502 513 622 647 705 785 800
% 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Covered 431 470 514 483 467 477 581 619 646 723 741
% 92.8 91.6 92.6 91.1 93.0 92.9 93.4 95.7 91.6 92.1 92.5
Private 225 230 216 186 244 225 297 309 277 332 282
% 48.4 44.8 39.0 35.1 48.6 43.9 47.8 47.7 39.2 42.2 35.3
Medicare 389 418 486 461 408 434 534 556 603 667 700
% 83.7 81.4 87.6 87.0 81.2 84.5 85.8 86.0 85.5 85.0 87.5
Not Covered 33 43 41 47 35 36 41 28 59 62 60
% 7.2 8.4 7.4 8.9 7.0 7.1 6.6 4.3 8.4 7.9 7.5
Other Total 65 or older 135 126 132 179 186 212 124 150 133 127 187
% 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Covered 134 121 126 168 178 200 118 150 132 120 183
% 98.9 96.5 96.0 93.8 95.7 94.6 95.7 100.0 99.3 94.8 97.8
Private 42 45 47 73 76 85 49 50 63 48 79
% 31.4 36.1 35.7 41.0 40.9 39.9 39.6 33.3 47.1 37.4 42.0
Medicare 128 115 120 163 178 187 117 143 121 114 176
% 94.8 91.5 91.4 90.9 95.7 88.3 95.0 95.1 91.0 90.0 94.1
Not Covered 1 4 5 11 8 11 5 0 1 7 4
% 1.1 3.5 4.0 6.2 4.3 5.4 4.3 0.0 0.7 5.2 2.2
Hispanic Total 65 or older 1,024 1,091 1,143 1,222 1,390 1,428 1,458 1,516 1,617 1,696 1,752
% 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Covered 982 1,035 1,091 1,156 1,313 1,359 1,395 1,424 1,548 1,607 1,653
% 95.9 94.8 95.4 94.6 94.5 95.2 95.7 93.9 95.7 94.8 94.3
Private 391 366 331 360 490 434 510 444 447 479 463
% 38.2 33.6 29.0 29.4 35.2 30.4 35.0 29.3 27.6 28.2 26.4
Medicare 934 983 1,042 1,118 1,250 1,316 1,340 1,365 1,487 1,522 1,594
% 91.3 90.1 91.2 91.4 89.9 92.1 91.9 90.0 92.0 89.8 91.0
Not Covered 42 57 52 66 77 69 63 92 69 89 99
% 4.1 5.2 4.6 5.4 5.5 4.8 4.3 6.1 4.3 5.2 5.7
Northeast Total 65 or older 6,678 6,824 6,707 6,820 6,778 6,780 6,817 6,692 6,709 6,596 6,841
% 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Covered 6,604 6,767 6,648 6,745 6,710 6,721 6,759 6,620 6,641 6,521 6,739
% 98.9 99.2 99.1 98.9 99.0 99.1 99.1 98.9 99.0 98.9 98.5
Private 4,439 4,628 4,627 4,647 4,489 4,768 4,720 4,642 4,321 3,974 4,092
% 66.5 67.8 69.0 68.1 66.2 70.3 69.2 69.4 64.4 60.3 59.8
Medicare 6,292 6,489 6,401 6,512 6,428 6,527 6,566 6,427 6,458 6,313 6,532
% 94.2 95.1 95.4 95.5 94.8 96.3 96.3 96.0 96.3 95.7 95.5
Not Covered 73 57 59 76 68 59 59 71 69 75 103
% 1.1 0.8 0.9 1.1 1.0 0.9 0.9 1.1 1.0 1.1 1.5
Midwest Total 65 or older 7,321 7,385 7,276 7,193 7,109 7,348 7,566 7,628 7,676 7,527 7,400
% 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Covered 7,269 7,337 7,239 7,144 7,051 7,311 7,525 7,586 7,633 7,468 7,341
% 99.3 99.3 99.5 99.3 99.2 99.5 99.5 99.4 99.4 99.2 99.2
Private 5,536 5,667 5,314 5,410 5,282 5,658 5,795 5,586 5,716 5,497 5,460
% 75.6 76.7 73.0 75.2 74.3 77.0 76.6 73.2 74.5 73.0 73.8
Medicare 7,035 7,120 7,075 6,974 6,878 7,153 7,345 7,402 7,473 7,304 7,127
% 96.1 96.4 97.2 97.0 96.8 97.3 97.1 97.0 97.4 97.0 96.3
Not Covered 51 48 37 48 58 37 41 42 42 59 59
% 0.7 0.7 0.5 0.7 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.8 0.8
South Total 65 or older 10,085 10,176 10,686 10,701 10,729 10,869 11,224 11,325 11,420 11,964 11,971
% 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Covered 9,987 10,081 10,581 10,581 10,601 10,765 11,122 11,196 11,295 11,849 11,819
% 99.0 99.1 99.0 98.9 98.8 99.0 99.1 98.9 98.9 99.0 98.7
Private 6,329 6,504 6,941 6,956 6,681 6,864 7,392 7,337 6,992 7,169 6,877
% 62.8 63.9 65.0 65.0 62.3 63.2 65.9 64.8 61.2 59.9 57.5
Medicare 9,688 9,790 10,283 10,323 10,279 10,504 10,821 10,884 11,004 11,502 11,546
% 96.1 96.2 96.2 96.5 95.8 96.6 96.4 96.1 96.4 96.1 96.4
Not Covered 99 95 105 120 128 104 102 129 125 115 151
% 1.0 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.0 0.9 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.3
West Total 65 or older 5,483 5,700 5,922 6,156 6,145 6,269 6,052 6,233 6,277 6,308 6,410
% 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
Covered 5,398 5,624 5,833 6,044 6,036 6,179 5,953 6,139 6,180 6,199 6,301
% 98.5 98.7 98.5 98.2 98.2 98.6 98.4 98.5 98.4 98.3 98.3
Private 3,699 3,766 3,833 3,879 3,860 3,967 3,847 3,659 3,658 3,530 3,624
% 67.5 66.1 64.7 63.0 62.8 63.3 63.6 58.7 58.3 56.0 56.5
Medicare 5,236 5,394 5,618 5,896 5,787 5,991 5,789 5,905 5,935 5,967 6,026
% 95.5 94.6 94.9 95.8 94.2 95.6 95.7 94.7 94.5 94.6 94.0
Not Covered 85 77 89 112 110 90 99 94 98 109 109
% 1.5 1.3 1.5 1.8 1.8 1.4 1.6 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.7
Source: 1980, 1985, 1990 - 1999 March Current Population Survey