Note: This table shows that the percent of the U.S. population that reported not being able to get the medical care they needed (i.e., had an "unmet medical need") increased from 1996-97 to 2000-01. The people who were most likely to have an unmet need in 2000-01 included those people with family income below the federal poverty level, middle-aged adults, people in fair or poor health, and people living in the western region of the U.S. Also, uninsured individuals were considerably more likely to have an unmet need than their insured counterparts, whereas Medicare enrollees were the least likely to have an unmet need. Uninsured individuals were slightly more likely to have an unmet need in 2000-01 compared to 1996-97.
| Percent with an Unmet Medical Need | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-97 | 1998-99 | 2000-01 | ||
| U.S. Total | 5.2 | 5.6* | 5.8# | |
| Family Income | Below Poverty | 8.5 | 9.5 | 8.6 |
| 100-199% of poverty | 6.7 | 7.0 | 7.8# | |
| 200-399% of poverty | 4.2 | 4.7* | 5.3# | |
| 400% of poverty and above | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.2# | |
| Age | Less than 18 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.7 |
| 18-24 | 6.5 | 7.6 | 8.1# | |
| 25-34 | 7.8 | 8.1 | 8.6# | |
| 35-44 | 7.6 | 8.4* | 8.9# | |
| 45-54 | 6.3 | 6.9 | 7.3# | |
| 55-64 | 4.5 | 5.2 | 5.5# | |
| 65 and over | 1.6 | 2.0 | 2.1# | |
| Race/Ethnicity | White | 4.7 | 5.3* | 5.3# |
| Black | 5.9 | 5.8 | 6.5 | |
| Hispanic | 6.7 | 6.6 | 6.9 | |
| Other | 7.0 | 6.7 | 8.7* | |
| Health Status | Excellent or very good | 3.5 | 3.8* | 3.7 |
| Good | 6.4 | 7.3* | 7.2# | |
| Fair or Poor | 11.9 | 11.9 | 13.0 | |
| Insurance Type | Medicare | 2.7 | 3.1 | 3.6# |
| Employer-sponsored | 3.7 | 4.1* | 4.3# | |
| Other private | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.5 | |
| Medicaid and other state1 | 6.6 | 6.8 | 6.3 | |
| Other coverage2 | 5.7 | 5.9 | 5.2 | |
| Uninsured | 13.5 | 14.2 | 15.0# | |
| Metro size | Large metro area3 | 5.4 | 5.7* | 5.8 |
| Small metro4 | 3.9 | 7.1* | 5.6*# | |
| Non-metro areas | 4.9 | 4.6 | 5.6 | |
| Region | Northeast | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Midwest | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.5 | |
| South | 5.1 | 6.0* | 6.2# | |
| West | 6.1 | 6.5 | 7.3# | |
SOURCE QUESTION: "During the past 12 months, was there any time when you didn’t get the medical care you needed?"
DATE SOURCE: Community Tracking Study Household Survey.
1 Includes State Children’s Health Insurance Program coverage.
2 Includes military coverage (such as CHAMPUS/Tricare), Indian Health Service coverage, and coverage not included in any other category.
3 Metro area with population greater than 200,000 people.
4 Metro area with population equal to or less than 200,000 people.
* Change from previous round is statistically significant at p<.05.
# Change from 1996-97 to 2000-01 is statistically significant at p<.05.