Catron Has Highest Percent Of Uninsured

By Mike Sievers
As the United States Congress enters its August recess with an ongoing debate about a health-care plan, the Mountain Mail decided to take a look at the most recent U.S. Census numbers on health insurance in Catron County.
This article will not attempt to delve into the specifics or politics of proposed legislation, or the possible results of any legislation that may eventually pass Congress. This will simply relay the most recent facts as compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The county had the highest percentage of people without health insurance, as well as the second highest percentage of uninsured people under the age of 19. The numbers were collected in 2006.
In 2006, there were 980 uninsured people in Catron County, or 37.3 percent of the population younger than 65, according to the statistics available through www.census.gov. The margin of error was 130, so the actual number of uninsured could be as low as 850 or as high as 1,110.
Among the 1,327 people at or below 200 percent of the poverty line, which is more than half of the total population included in the Census’ numbers, 704, or 53 percent, were without health insurance in 2006. That was fourth highest in the state. The margin of error was 89, so the actual number of people in that category without insurance could be as high as 793 or as low as 615.
Catron County had the second highest percentage of uninsured people under the age of 19. Among the 586 Catron County residents who were younger than 19 at the time the data was collected, 165, or 28.1 percent, were uninsured, according to the Census. That was a close second to Harding County, which had 32 uninsured people in that age group.
To look at the numbers by county in New Mexico, click here. The user can then sort by different categories.

Catron Has Highest Percent Of Uninsured