By JIM McLEAN
KHI News Service
TOPEKA -- Kansas was one of only 10 states in the nation where the percentage of people without health insurance increased, according to newly released survey results by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The percentage of Kansans who lacked health coverage increased to 12.5 percent in 2006-07 from 11.3 percent in 2005-06 and 10.5 percent in 2004-05. That means approximately 340,000 Kansans were uninsured in 2006-07, up about 58,000 since 2004-05.
Marcia Nielsen, executive director of the Kansas Health Policy Authority, called the increase "horrible news."
"We are certainly interested in trying to understand the trends," she said. "Clearly, they are alarming."
The other states where the percentage of uninsured increased were Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina and Texas.
The percentage of uninsured declined in five states, the District of Columbia and nationally.
The survey put the percentage of Americans who lacked coverage in 2007 at 15.3 percent, down from 15.8 percent in 2006.
One of the most significant reductions in the uninsured -- 2.4 percentage points -- was reported in Massachusetts. Some health reform advocates connected the improvement to the state's controversial health reform law requiring people to obtain health insurance. The law also requires that most employers either offer coverage to their workers or help pay for a state plan for people who can't obtain coverage elsewhere.
"Massachusetts, which enacted health reform in April 2006, has moved into first place with the lowest uninsured rates (7.5 percent)," said Karen Davis, president of the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit foundation that pushes for improvements to the U.S. health system.
Davis said that a recent report from the Massachusetts Commonwealth Connector showed that the state's reforms have provided coverage to 439,000 people. But others have warned the reforms are unsustainable, pointing out that they are now more than $140 million over budget.
Nielsen said a 21-point health policy authority plan considered but for the most part rejected by the 2008 Legislature was designed to cover 86,000 uninsured Kansans. She said the agency would be back in 2009 with a proposal to expand coverage. Among other things, the plan would expand eligibility for the Medicaid program to cover more low-income adults. That would be financed by a yet unspecified increase in the state tobacco tax.
"This problem isn't going away, it's only going to get worse," Nielsen said.
During a recent meeting of the Legislature's Joint Committee on Health Policy Oversight several legislators said the tobacco tax increase would remain a tough sell.
Kim Moore, president of the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund, a Hutchinson-based foundation that supports efforts to expand access to health services, said the fact that Kansas was one of a handful of states in which the percentage of uninsured went up should create new urgency among policymakers.
"Seeing Kansas' numbers worsen while the overall national picture has had a slight improvement should encourage policymakers in Kansas to redouble efforts to support meaningful health reform," Moore said. "Although we hear criticisms of what other states are doing, apparently at the bottom-line level -- getting their citizens health insurance coverage -- they are making progress."
n Jim McLean is a staff writer for KHI News Service, which specializes in coverage of health issues facing Kansans. He can be reached at jmclean@khi.org or at 785-233-5443, Ext. 110.
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