Health Insurance and States: NCSL Overview, 2011
Contents
Featured NCSL Links
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Updated: September 2011
Overview
For most Americans, market-based health insurance remains the predominant form of health coverage, although 2009 marked the lowest rate of private coverage since 1987.
In general terms, all 50 states regulate and initiate policies affecting health insurance. These statutes, and the Insurance Departments and other agencies that administer them, play a significant role in virtually every state.
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) has tracked and evaluated activities in several project areas in health care, and has collaborated with or relied on a number of outside experts in this field.
The list in the right-hand column includes links to several current NCSL projects and publications. In addition, the internal and external resources listed below provide further details.
Latest Information
According to the most recent detailed census report (2010, published September 2011), of 312,250,315 total Americans:
- “The percentage of people with health insurance in 2010 was not statistically different from 2009, while the number of insured increased to 256.2 million in 2010 from 255.3 million in 2009.”
- “The percentage of people covered by private health insurance decreased in 2010 to 64.0 percent, while the number of people covered by private health insurance was not statistically different from 2009, at 195.9 million. The percentage of people covered by private health insurance has been decreasing since 2001.”
- “The percentage of people covered by employment-based health insurance decreased to 55.3 percent in 2010 from 56.1 percent in 2009. The number of people covered by employment-based health insurance decreased to 169.3 million from 170.8 million.”
- “The percentage and number of people covered by government health insurance increased to 31.0 percent and 95.0 million in 2010 from 30.6 percent and 93.2 million in 2009.”
- “The percentage and number of people covered by Medicaid in 2010, 15.9 percent and 48.6 million, were not statistically different from 2009 estimates.”
- “The percentage and number of people covered by Medicare increased in 2010 to 14.5 percent and 44.3 million.”
- “In 2010, the percentage of people without health insurance, 16.3 percent, was not statistically different from the rate in 2009. The number of uninsured people increased to 49.9 million in 2010 from 49.0 million in 2009.”
Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010, September 2011; http://www.census.gov/prod/2011pubs/p60-239.pdf
- 2011 Average Annual Premiums for Family Health Benefits Top $15,000 in 2011, Up 9 Percent - - Kiaser/HRET survey, published 9/27/2011.
Full Report (225 pages, pdf) || Summary of Findings (.pdf) || Chart Pack
- 2010 Family Health Premiums Rise 3 Percent to $13,770 in 2010, But Workers' Share Jumps 14 Percent as Firms Shift Cost Burden - Kiaser/HRET survey, published 9/2/2010
These links allow you to download the full original report materials – Summary of Findings (8 pages, PDF) || Full Report (226 pages, PDF) || Chart Pack (PDF) || Slides (PDF)
- 2010 Health Insurance Premiums Include Major Increases: A fall 2009 survey of state insurance regulators by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners found that average insurance policies will increase between 11% to 16%—and as high as 25% to 30%—annually in most states.
Federal Health Reform: Major Effects on State Health Insurance
The 2010 federal health ereform laws make major changes in the way private health insurance is handled and regulated. Several of these changes will be implemented in 2010 and 2011. These include:
- Access to insurance for people with preexisting conditions through federally-funded high risk pools.(July 1, 2010)
- No preexisting condition restrictions for children;
- Restrictions on certain insurance practices;
- Reporting requirements;
- A small-business tax credit;
- Expanded dependent coverage;
- Coverage and access provisions;
- Expanding access to information on health insurance;
- Retirees’ access to health insurance; and
- Access to long-term care insurance.
NCSL Resources
Examples of reports with State Laws and Recent Legislation:
Archive of NCSL Meetings
State Health Insurance Mandates and Requirements
Non- NCSL Reports and Resources
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