colorado health institute

(Also published as guest commentary in the Summit Daily News and posted by  healthinsuranceheadlines.com, topix.com, health

If you live in Colorado, there's a good chance you don't have health insurance, or enough insurance to cover a serious accident or illness.

Small group health insurance premiums increased an average of 84 percent between 1996 and 2002 in Colorado as well as the nation.

In 2003-04, the national uninsured rate averaged 15.7 percent. During the same time period, 17.1 percent of Coloradans (nearly 770,000 people) reported having no private or public health coverage.

Employment dynamics have a direct effect on health insurance coverage because most people obtain their health insurance through their workplace. In 2002-04, about three-fourths (441,000 people) of working-age Coloradans (age 18-64) who were uninsured reported working at some point during the previous calendar year.