More than 59 million in U.S. uninsured

ATLANTA, Nov. 10 (UPI) -- An estimated 59 million people in the United States had no health insurance for at least part of the year, up from 58.7 million in 2009, health officials say.

Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey for 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 and early release NHIS data from the first quarter of 2010.

The report says of the 58.7 million in 2009, 82.8 percent were ages 18 to 64. Among people ages 18-64 with family incomes two to three times the federal poverty level -- approximately $43,000 to $65,000 for a family of four in 2009 -- 32.1 percent were uninsured for at least part of the preceding year.

People ages 18-64 with no health insurance during the preceding year were seven times as likely as those continuously insured to forgo needed healthcare because of the expense.

For example, 47.5 percent of people with diabetes ages 18-64 who had no health insurance did not get needed medical care compared with 7.7 percent who did not lose health insurance coverage.