The National Center for Health Statistics released a report of health insurance trends for 1959 – 2007 on July 1, 2009. The data was collected through the long-term National Health Survey Interview. The report tracked trends of those who are under 65 years of age who may or may not have had health insurance coverage.

During the first nine years of the study, the percentage of those with private coverage rose to 79% and then remained stable through 1980. During the 1980s, there was a decline in the percentage of persons with private insurance and as could be expected, there was a rise in the number of uninsured persons in the US. By 2007, it was estimated that 43.3 million Americans were without health insurance coverage. The number of persons covered by Medicaid also increased during this time period. While working adults were losing private health insurance coverage, an increasing number of children under the age of 18 were receiving coverage through public health insurance programs under the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

Download the National Center for Health Statistics Report, and check it out yourself.