Profile of Health Insurance Coverage in Mississippi

The Center for Mississippi Health Policy has examined health insurance coverage in Mississippi and developed two chartbooks that profile health insurance coverage for adults and children in Mississippi and outline the characteristics of those who are uninsured.   Key findings from the analysis provide insight into health coverage needs in the state:

• Compared to the nation, Mississippians are more likely to be uninsured, to have higher rates of public coverage, and to have lower rates of private coverage. 
• Most adults with private coverage access health insurance through an employer.
• Young adults between 19 and 24 years of age have the highest rate of uninsurance at 43%.
•  Two out of five (41%) of Mississippi’s low-income non-elderly adults are uninsured.
• Nearly two-thirds (65%) of uninsured non-elderly adults are working.
• Approximately half of Mississippi children are covered by a public program, such as Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and 42% are covered by private insurance.
• Most (70%) uninsured children are income-eligible for public coverage through Medicaid or CHIP.
• Nine out of ten uninsured children live in families with a working adult.

Additional findings can be found in the full reports.  The chartbooks may be downloaded for children HERE and non-elderly adults HERE.