Fewer lack health insurance in U.S.

WASHINGTON -- Fewer Americans lacked health insurance last year, as a then-robust economy and government programs helped more children and poor people get coverage.

About 14 percent of Americans, or 38.7 million people, were without coverage during the entire year in 2000, down from 14.3 percent, or 39.3 million in 1999, the Census Bureau reported Friday.

With unemployment low during that period, more people were able to get insurance through their employers. And analysts said more lower income families and kids picked up coverage through programs like Medicaid and the Child Health Insurance Program.

But the overall downward trend is likely to reverse this year as the economy struggles, they said.

Ron Pollock, executive director of the consumer group, Families USA.