Every year the Center for Mississippi Health Policy monitors trends in health insurance coverage in Mississippi, analyzing Census data compiled by the State Health Data Assistance Center (SHADAC). Using this data, we compile chartbooks that examine detailed demographic characteristics such as income, age, education, and work status for the various types of coverage and provide a profile of the uninsured. In addition, we publish a separate fact sheet presenting county-level data on uninsured adults using the data provided by Small Area Health Insurance Estimates (SAHIE).

Mississippi Adult Insurance Coverage

KEY POINTS

• Non-elderly adults in Mississippi have significantly lower rates of private health insurance when compared to the national rate. However, uninsurance rates for Mississippians fell from 2012 to 2015 and remained steady since then.
• Non-elderly adults, ages 45 to 64, had the lowest uninsurance rates while young adults, ages 19-25, had the highest rates of uninsurance.
• Most working non-elderly adults in Mississippi (59%) had private health insurance. However, only 3% of part-time employees had private health insurance.
• Uninsurance rates were highest for Hispanic, non-elderly adults.
• Persons below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) experience the highest rates of uninsurance.
• Private coverage is least at the lowest level of educational attainment.
• Annual premiums and employee contributions have trended upwards since 2006.

Mississippi Children Insurance Coverage

KEY POINTS

• Mississippi children under 19 years of age have uninsurance rates that are at the same level as the national rate.
• Statewide trends show an increase in employment-based and military coverage for Mississippi children.
• One out of 20 children lacks health insurance coverage statewide.
• Over two-thirds of uninsured children in Mississippi are likely eligible for public insurance coverage.
• Public coverage rates decline as children get older.
• Uninsurance rates are highest for Hispanic children.
• 38,000 children are uninsured in Mississippi.
• One out of 20 children living at or below 214% Federal Poverty Level (FPL) lacks any type of insurance coverage.
• Seventy-nine percent (79%) of uninsured children live with at least one adult working full-time.