The share of the population without health insurance rose in 2002, the second consecutive annual increase. An estimated 15.2 percent of the population or 43.6 million people were without health insurance coverage during the entire year 2002. Racial discrimination is an important factor in the exclusion from health insurance. Hispanics (67,6%) are less likely to be covered by health insurance than non-Hispanic Whites who reported a single race (89,3%), Blacks who reported a single race (79,8%) and Asians who reported a single race (81,6%). The proportion of people without health insurance ranged from 8.0% in Minnesota to 24.1 % in Texas.

• Read the full report from the US Census Bureau