"Health Insurance Coverage Among Persons Age 65 or Older, Total and by Type of Insurance, 1989 to 1999" (Numbers in thousands) 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 U.S. Total 65 or older "29,566" "30,085" "30,590" "30,870" "30,761" "31,266" "31,658" "31,877" "32,082" "32,394" "32,621" % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Covered "29,258" "29,808" "30,301" "30,514" "30,397" "30,976" "31,358" "31,541" "31,749" "32,036" "32,199" % 99.0 99.1 99.1 98.8 98.8 99.1 99.1 98.9 99.0 98.9 98.7 Private "20,003" "20,564" "20,715" "20,892" "20,312" "21,257" "21,754" "21,224" "20,687" "20,171" "20,054" % 67.7 68.4 67.7 67.7 66.0 68.0 68.7 66.6 64.5 62.3 61.5 Medicare "28,251" "28,793" "29,377" "29,705" "29,372" "30,175" "30,521" "30,616" "30,870" "31,085" "31,231" % 95.6 95.7 96.0 96.2 95.5 96.5 96.4 96.0 96.2 96.0 95.7 Not Covered 308 276 289 356 363 290 300 336 333 358 422 % 1.0 0.9 0.9 1.2 1.2 0.9 0.9 1.1 1.0 1.1 1.3 Men Total 65 or older "12,334" "12,547" "12,800" "12,832" "12,718" "13,001" "13,260" "13,404" "13,524" "13,727" "13,886" % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Covered "12,206" "12,435" "12,669" "12,673" "12,587" "12,870" "13,156" "13,242" "13,360" "13,554" "13,711" % 99.0 99.1 99.0 98.8 99.0 99.0 99.2 98.8 98.8 98.7 98.7 Private "8,574" "8,778" "8,858" "8,900" "8,810" "9,203" "9,544" "9,384" "9,142" "8,984" "8,899" % 69.5 70.0 69.2 69.4 69.3 70.8 72.0 70.0 67.6 65.4 64.1 Medicare "11,652" "11,876" "12,143" "12,241" "12,049" "12,446" "12,676" "12,742" "12,868" "13,033" "13,145" % 94.5 94.7 94.9 95.4 94.7 95.7 95.6 95.1 95.2 94.9 94.7 Not Covered 128 112 131 158 131 132 104 162 164 173 175 % 1.0 0.9 1.0 1.2 1.0 1.0 0.8 1.2 1.2 1.3 1.3 Women Total 65 or older "17,232" "17,538" "17,790" "18,038" "18,043" "18,264" "18,398" "18,474" "18,558" "18,667" "18,735" % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Covered "17,052" "17,373" "17,632" "17,841" "17,811" "18,106" "18,202" "18,299" "18,389" "18,483" "18,488" % 99.0 99.1 99.1 98.9 98.7 99.1 98.9 99.1 99.1 99.0 98.7 Private "11,429" "11,786" "11,857" "11,992" "11,502" "12,054" "12,211" "11,840" "11,545" "11,187" "11,155" % 66.3 67.2 66.6 66.5 63.7 66.0 66.4 64.1 62.2 59.9 59.5 Medicare "16,599" "16,918" "17,235" "17,464" "17,322" "17,729" "17,846" "17,874" "18,002" "18,053" "18,086" % 96.3 96.5 96.9 96.8 96.0 97.1 97.0 96.8 97.0 96.7 96.5 Not Covered 180 165 158 198 232 158 196 174 169 185 248 % 1.0 0.9 0.9 1.1 1.3 0.9 1.1 0.9 0.9 1.0 1.3 65-74 Total 65 or older "17,979" "18,238" "18,441" "18,362" "18,072" "18,213" "18,270" "18,015" "17,874" "17,843" "17,796" % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Covered "17,749" "18,037" "18,224" "18,101" "17,842" "18,030" "18,110" "17,804" "17,634" "17,616" "17,498" % 98.7 98.9 98.8 98.6 98.7 99.0 99.1 98.8 98.7 98.7 98.3 Private "12,776" "13,110" "12,951" "12,840" "12,426" "12,747" "13,017" "12,349" "11,912" "11,554" "11,350" % 71.1 71.9 70.2 69.9 68.8 70.0 71.2 68.5 66.6 64.8 63.8 Medicare "16,905" "17,171" "17,438" "17,436" "17,049" "17,373" "17,415" "17,007" "16,931" "16,841" "16,686" % 94.0 94.2 94.6 95.0 94.3 95.4 95.3 94.4 94.7 94.4 93.8 Not Covered 230 201 217 262 230 183 160 212 240 227 298 % 1.3 1.1 1.2 1.4 1.3 1.0 0.9 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.7 75-84 Total 65 or older "9,354" "9,456" "9,659" "9,918" "9,854" "10,188" "10,569" "10,954" "11,281" "11,497" "11,685" % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Covered "9,300" "9,397" "9,600" "9,851" "9,793" "10,106" "10,472" "10,870" "11,207" "11,412" "11,586" % 99.4 99.4 99.4 99.3 99.4 99.2 99.1 99.2 99.3 99.3 99.2 Private "6,050" "6,147" "6,419" "6,548" "6,301" "6,796" "7,163" "7,254" "7,182" "7,051" "7,038" % 64.7 65.0 66.5 66.0 63.9 66.7 67.8 66.2 63.7 61.3 60.2 Medicare "9,175" "9,283" "9,485" "9,737" "9,691" "10,020" "10,376" "10,770" "11,073" "11,269" "11,450" % 98.1 98.2 98.2 98.2 98.3 98.4 98.2 98.3 98.2 98.0 98.0 Not Covered 54 59 59 67 61 82 97 84 74 85 99 % 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.8 85+ Total 65 or older "2,233" "2,391" "2,490" "2,590" "2,835" "2,865" "2,819" "2,909" "2,928" "3,054" "3,140" % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Covered "2,209" "2,374" "2,477" "2,562" "2,762" "2,840" "2,776" "2,868" "2,908" "3,008" "3,115" % 98.9 99.3 99.5 98.9 97.4 99.1 98.5 98.6 99.3 98.5 99.2 Private "1,177" "1,307" "1,345" "1,504" "1,584" "1,715" "1,575" "1,621" "1,593" "1,565" "1,666" % 52.7 54.7 54.0 58.1 55.9 59.8 55.9 55.7 54.4 51.2 53.1 Medicare "2,171" "2,339" "2,455" "2,532" "2,632" "2,782" "2,731" "2,839" "2,866" "2,975" "3,095" % 97.2 97.9 98.6 97.8 92.8 97.1 96.9 97.6 97.9 97.4 98.6 Not Covered 24 16 13 28 73 25 43 41 20 46 25 % 1.1 0.7 0.5 1.1 2.6 0.9 1.5 1.4 0.7 1.5 0.8 "White, non-Hispanic" Total 65 or older "25,504" "25,854" "26,208" "26,342" "26,254" "26,682" "27,034" "27,033" "26,995" "27,118" "27,187" % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Covered "25,331" "25,731" "26,055" "26,149" "26,071" "26,549" "26,890" "26,887" "26,829" "26,942" "26,970" % 99.3 99.5 99.4 99.3 99.3 99.5 99.5 99.5 99.4 99.4 99.2 Private "18,545" "19,101" "19,319" "19,404" "18,584" "19,490" "19,826" "19,358" "18,875" "18,274" "18,088" % 72.7 73.9 73.7 73.7 70.8 73.0 73.3 71.6 69.9 67.4 66.5 Medicare "24,486" "24,941" "25,278" "25,495" "25,271" "25,955" "26,257" "26,199" "26,150" "26,221" "26,210" % 96.0 96.5 96.5 96.8 96.3 97.3 97.1 96.9 96.9 96.7 96.4 Not Covered 173 124 153 193 183 133 143 146 166 176 217 % 0.7 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.8 Black Total 65 or older "2,487" "2,547" "2,606" "2,660" "2,510" "2,557" "2,478" "2,616" "2,691" "2,723" "2,754" % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Covered "2,427" "2,497" "2,567" "2,618" "2,442" "2,506" "2,426" "2,540" "2,653" "2,693" "2,709" % 97.6 98.0 98.5 98.4 97.3 98.0 97.9 97.1 98.6 98.9 98.4 Private 809 838 821 886 950 "1,057" "1,086" "1,086" "1,046" "1,046" "1,160" % 32.5 32.9 31.5 33.3 37.9 41.4 43.8 41.5 38.9 38.4 42.1 Medicare "2,359" "2,376" "2,500" "2,529" "2,337" "2,397" "2,320" "2,425" "2,563" "2,606" "2,606" % 94.8 93.3 95.9 95.1 93.1 93.8 93.6 92.7 95.3 95.7 94.6 Not Covered 60 51 39 42 68 50 52 76 38 30 45 % 2.4 2.0 1.5 1.6 2.7 2.0 2.1 2.9 1.4 1.1 1.6 Asian Total 65 or older 465 514 555 530 502 513 622 647 705 785 800 % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Covered 431 470 514 483 467 477 581 619 646 723 741 % 92.8 91.6 92.6 91.1 93.0 92.9 93.4 95.7 91.6 92.1 92.5 Private 225 230 216 186 244 225 297 309 277 332 282 % 48.4 44.8 39.0 35.1 48.6 43.9 47.8 47.7 39.2 42.2 35.3 Medicare 389 418 486 461 408 434 534 556 603 667 700 % 83.7 81.4 87.6 87.0 81.2 84.5 85.8 86.0 85.5 85.0 87.5 Not Covered 33 43 41 47 35 36 41 28 59 62 60 % 7.2 8.4 7.4 8.9 7.0 7.1 6.6 4.3 8.4 7.9 7.5 Other Total 65 or older 135 126 132 179 186 212 124 150 133 127 187 % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Covered 134 121 126 168 178 200 118 150 132 120 183 % 98.9 96.5 96.0 93.8 95.7 94.6 95.7 100.0 99.3 94.8 97.8 Private 42 45 47 73 76 85 49 50 63 48 79 % 31.4 36.1 35.7 41.0 40.9 39.9 39.6 33.3 47.1 37.4 42.0 Medicare 128 115 120 163 178 187 117 143 121 114 176 % 94.8 91.5 91.4 90.9 95.7 88.3 95.0 95.1 91.0 90.0 94.1 Not Covered 1 4 5 11 8 11 5 0 1 7 4 % 1.1 3.5 4.0 6.2 4.3 5.4 4.3 0.0 0.7 5.2 2.2 Hispanic Total 65 or older "1,024" "1,091" "1,143" "1,222" "1,390" "1,428" "1,458" "1,516" "1,617" "1,696" "1,752" % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Covered 982 "1,035" "1,091" "1,156" "1,313" "1,359" "1,395" "1,424" "1,548" "1,607" "1,653" % 95.9 94.8 95.4 94.6 94.5 95.2 95.7 93.9 95.7 94.8 94.3 Private 391 366 331 360 490 434 510 444 447 479 463 % 38.2 33.6 29.0 29.4 35.2 30.4 35.0 29.3 27.6 28.2 26.4 Medicare 934 983 "1,042" "1,118" "1,250" "1,316" "1,340" "1,365" "1,487" "1,522" "1,594" % 91.3 90.1 91.2 91.4 89.9 92.1 91.9 90.0 92.0 89.8 91.0 Not Covered 42 57 52 66 77 69 63 92 69 89 99 % 4.1 5.2 4.6 5.4 5.5 4.8 4.3 6.1 4.3 5.2 5.7 Northeast Total 65 or older "6,678" "6,824" "6,707" "6,820" "6,778" "6,780" "6,817" "6,692" "6,709" "6,596" "6,841" % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Covered "6,604" "6,767" "6,648" "6,745" "6,710" "6,721" "6,759" "6,620" "6,641" "6,521" "6,739" % 98.9 99.2 99.1 98.9 99.0 99.1 99.1 98.9 99.0 98.9 98.5 Private "4,439" "4,628" "4,627" "4,647" "4,489" "4,768" "4,720" "4,642" "4,321" "3,974" "4,092" % 66.5 67.8 69.0 68.1 66.2 70.3 69.2 69.4 64.4 60.3 59.8 Medicare "6,292" "6,489" "6,401" "6,512" "6,428" "6,527" "6,566" "6,427" "6,458" "6,313" "6,532" % 94.2 95.1 95.4 95.5 94.8 96.3 96.3 96.0 96.3 95.7 95.5 Not Covered 73 57 59 76 68 59 59 71 69 75 103 % 1.1 0.8 0.9 1.1 1.0 0.9 0.9 1.1 1.0 1.1 1.5 Midwest Total 65 or older "7,321" "7,385" "7,276" "7,193" "7,109" "7,348" "7,566" "7,628" "7,676" "7,527" "7,400" % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Covered "7,269" "7,337" "7,239" "7,144" "7,051" "7,311" "7,525" "7,586" "7,633" "7,468" "7,341" % 99.3 99.3 99.5 99.3 99.2 99.5 99.5 99.4 99.4 99.2 99.2 Private "5,536" "5,667" "5,314" "5,410" "5,282" "5,658" "5,795" "5,586" "5,716" "5,497" "5,460" % 75.6 76.7 73.0 75.2 74.3 77.0 76.6 73.2 74.5 73.0 73.8 Medicare "7,035" "7,120" "7,075" "6,974" "6,878" "7,153" "7,345" "7,402" "7,473" "7,304" "7,127" % 96.1 96.4 97.2 97.0 96.8 97.3 97.1 97.0 97.4 97.0 96.3 Not Covered 51 48 37 48 58 37 41 42 42 59 59 % 0.7 0.7 0.5 0.7 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.8 0.8 South Total 65 or older "10,085" "10,176" "10,686" "10,701" "10,729" "10,869" "11,224" "11,325" "11,420" "11,964" "11,971" % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Covered "9,987" "10,081" "10,581" "10,581" "10,601" "10,765" "11,122" "11,196" "11,295" "11,849" "11,819" % 99.0 99.1 99.0 98.9 98.8 99.0 99.1 98.9 98.9 99.0 98.7 Private "6,329" "6,504" "6,941" "6,956" "6,681" "6,864" "7,392" "7,337" "6,992" "7,169" "6,877" % 62.8 63.9 65.0 65.0 62.3 63.2 65.9 64.8 61.2 59.9 57.5 Medicare "9,688" "9,790" "10,283" "10,323" "10,279" "10,504" "10,821" "10,884" "11,004" "11,502" "11,546" % 96.1 96.2 96.2 96.5 95.8 96.6 96.4 96.1 96.4 96.1 96.4 Not Covered 99 95 105 120 128 104 102 129 125 115 151 % 1.0 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.0 0.9 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.3 West Total 65 or older "5,483" "5,700" "5,922" "6,156" "6,145" "6,269" "6,052" "6,233" "6,277" "6,308" "6,410" % 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Covered "5,398" "5,624" "5,833" "6,044" "6,036" "6,179" "5,953" "6,139" "6,180" "6,199" "6,301" % 98.5 98.7 98.5 98.2 98.2 98.6 98.4 98.5 98.4 98.3 98.3 Private "3,699" "3,766" "3,833" "3,879" "3,860" "3,967" "3,847" "3,659" "3,658" "3,530" "3,624" % 67.5 66.1 64.7 63.0 62.8 63.3 63.6 58.7 58.3 56.0 56.5 Medicare "5,236" "5,394" "5,618" "5,896" "5,787" "5,991" "5,789" "5,905" "5,935" "5,967" "6,026" % 95.5 94.6 94.9 95.8 94.2 95.6 95.7 94.7 94.5 94.6 94.0 Not Covered 85 77 89 112 110 90 99 94 98 109 109 % 1.5 1.3 1.5 1.8 1.8 1.4 1.6 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.7 "Source: 1980, 1985, 1990 - 1999 March Current Population Survey"