Health insurance coverage improves access and quality of medical care and contributes to the overall health of Americans. Health insurance is not only helpful during illness but can also help to prevent illness by covering preventable care including immunizations, physical exams, and dental check-ups.
Percent of population with health insurance coverage, by age and sex, greater Portland region, 2010 and 2011 one year estimates
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey, Table B27001
Percent of population without health insurance coverage, by race and ethnicity, greater Portland region, 2009-2011, one year estimates
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey, Table S2701
Notes: 2009, 2010, and 2011 data unavailable for Black or African American in Clackamas County; 2009 and 2010 data unavailable for American Indian or Alaska Native in Clackamas and Clark Counties; 2011 data unavailable for American Indian or Alaska Native in Washington County; 2009 and 2010 data unavailable for some other race in Clackamas and Clark Counties; 2011 data unavailable for some other race in Clackamas County. No data available for Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone.
Click image to see 2009 and 2010 data.
Men and women aged 65 and over have the highest rates of health insurance coverage in the greater Portland region (100 percent for men and 99 percent for women). Children under 18 have the next highest rate (94 percent for boys and 93 percent for girls). Men and women aged 18-64 have the lowest rates of health insurance coverage (82 percent for women and 78 percent for men).
Of the racial groups in the Portland region, people identifying as "some other race" have the lowest rate of health insurance coverage (39.3 percent uninsured). Those reporting Hispanic or Latino ethnicity also have low rates of insurance coverage with 32.3 percent uninsured. Less than 14percent of people who identified as white alone are uninsured.
Children and older adults have more access to health insurance than do adults aged 18-64. Although health insurance is widely available to children in Oregon and Washington through the Oregon Health Plan and Apple Health for Kids, many children are not covered because their parents are unaware of the programs or how to access them. Health insurance coverage also varies across ethnic groups. By identifying places where gaps in insurance coverage exist, we can work to expand existing programs to reach a greater number of people.
Supporting documentation on code lists, subject definitions, data accuracy, and statistical testing can be found on the American Community Survey website in the Data and Documentation section: http://www.census.gov/acs/www/data_documentation/
Sample size and data quality measures (including coverage rates, allocation rates, and response rates) can be found on the American Community Survey website in the Methodology section: http://www.census.gov/acs/www/methodology
Data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling variability. The degree of uncertainty for an estimate arising from sampling variability is represented through the use of a margin of error (MOE). The value shown here is the 90 percent margin of error. The margin of error can be interpreted roughly as providing a 90 percent probability that the interval defined by the estimate minus the margin of error and the estimate plus the margin of error (the lower and upper confidence bounds) contains the true value. In addition to sampling variability, the ACS estimates are subject to nonsampling error. The effect of nonsampling error is not represented in these tables.
The health insurance coverage category names were modified in 2010. See ACS Health Insurance Definitions for a list of the insurance type definitions: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/hlthins/methodology/definitions/acs.html
While the 2011 American Community Survey (ACS) data generally reflect the December 2009 Office of Management and Budget (OMB) definitions of metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas; in certain instances the names, codes, and boundaries of the principal cities shown in ACS tables may differ from the OMB definitions due to differences in the effective dates of the geographic entities.
Estimates of urban and rural population, housing units, and characteristics reflect boundaries of urban areas defined based on Census 2000 data. Boundaries for urban areas have not been updated since Census 2000. As a result, data for urban and rural areas from the ACS do not necessarily reflect the results of ongoing urbanization.
The above text is from The US Census Bureau.
The geography for health insurance is the greater Portland region which includes Clackamas County, OR; Multnomah County, OR; Washington County, OR; Clark County, WA. Please note that the geography used varies across different indicators.
