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September 3 , 2007 • VOL. 45, NO. 15 • Oakland, CA
U.S. poverty
down slightly, but Americans
without health insurance continues to rise
 |
Some 200 faith leaders and children’s advocates gathered for a service and prayer vigil Aug. 23 at the state Capitol to launch an effort to promote health coverage for every child in California. The rally was sponsored in part by PICO California which estimates that nearly 763,000 California children are currently without health insurance. Father Jesus Nieto, pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Oakland, was among the speakers at the vigil. CATHY JOYCE PHOTO/CATHOLIC HERALD |
WASHINGTON (CNS) — The number of Americans living in poverty went
down slightly last year, according to the Census Bureau’s annual
report, but the number of uninsured Americans rose a bit.
The dip in the poverty rate — the first this decade — brought
the percentage of Americans living in poverty from 12.6 percent in 2005
to 12.3 percent in 2006. The number of people in poverty — 36.5
million — was “not statistically different” from 2005
levels, the Census Bureau said in an announcement. The child poverty rate
stayed the same, at 17.4 percent, while the poverty rates for adults and
senior citizens declined.
Both the number and percentage of Americans without health insurance rose
from year-before levels — from 44.8 million to 47 million, and from
15.3 percent uninsured to 15.8 percent. The number of uninsured children
increased from 8 million, or 10.9 percent in 2005, to 8.7 million, or
11.7 percent, last year.
“Catholic Charities USA is extremely troubled that the number of
uninsured, including children, continues to increase,” said Father
Larry Snyder, the organization’s president, in a statement issued
shortly after the numbers were released Aug. 28.
“We firmly believe that there is no excuse for any child in our
nation to go without access to health care, which is critically important
to the well-being and development of all children.”
In a separate statement Aug. 28, Sister Carol Keehan, a Daughter of Charity
who is president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association, decried the
fact that “in a supposedly strong economy, millions of people are
still struggling for life’s basic necessities, including health
care.”
“Whether we are talking about children, minorities, or middle-class
parents working hard to provide for their families, millions of people
are being left out of our health care system,” she added. “This
is unforgivable and embarrassing for our nation.”
The increase in the number of uninsured Americans coincided with a dip
in the percentage of people who have private health insurance. In 2005,
65.8 percent had private health insurance; in 2006, 64.8 percent did.
Texas led with 24.1 percent of its residents uninsured. Minnesota was
lowest with 8.3 percent of its residents uninsured. As of 2006, more than
one-third of all Hispanics, and one-fifth of all African-Americans, lacked
health insurance.
While household income increased — by 0.7 percent in 2006 —
for the second year in a row, American income has yet to match its 1999
peak, said David Johnson, head of the Census Bureau’s Household
and Household Statistics Division, during an Aug. 28 teleconference.
Even though household income is up, individuals’ earnings are lower.
The disparity, Johnson said, is “mainly driven by the fact that
there are more full-time, year-round workers in the country.”
“Any time the poverty rate decreases, we should celebrate,”
Father Snyder said in his statement. “However, we must never lose
sight of the fact that in one of the world’s wealthiest nations,
36.5 million people living in poverty, including 12.8 million children,
continue to struggle to make ends meet.”
Among large cities of 250,000 or more population, the highest poverty
rates were recorded in Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Miami, St. Louis
and Buffalo, N.Y. The lowest percentage of people in poverty in big cities
was in Plano, Texas.
Women have historically earned less than men for comparable work, a finding
that held true for all 50 states in the Census Bureau report. However,
in the District of Columbia, “there was no statistical difference
between the earnings of men and women,” the report said.
Father Snyder said “it is critical that both the House and Senate
take real steps to help those living in poverty” when Congress returns
from its August recess.
“It’s time for Congress to get to work and find the political
will needed to make poverty a top agenda item and help the most vulnerable
in our nation,” he said. Legislative priorities he listed included
expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, affordable
housing, Head Start and a farm bill that makes it easier to qualify for
federal food stamps.
The annual report by the Census Bureau includes details on every metropolitan
area of at least 65,000 and takes in every congressional district.
