LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The number of Nebraskans without health insurance has exploded over the last decade as rising costs force more small businesses, farmers and individuals to drop coverage, a state health researcher said Tuesday.
A study released by the University of Nebraska Medical Center found that the number of uninsured residents topped 217,100 in 2010 — a 67 percent increase over the decade.
Researchers found that the number of Nebraskans with employer-based health insurance fell 9.3 percent between 2000 and 2010. Meanwhile, the number of residents who bought insurance directly — usually at a much higher cost — increased roughly 16 percent.
Nebraska's rate of uninsured was on par with the rest of the Midwest, but the increase for states in the region "was a bit surprising when we double- and triple-checked our numbers," said Jim Stimpson, director of the university's Center for Health Policy.
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