States with higher rate of poverty have less health coverage

By Marshall Doig

According to an analysis of 2014 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, states with a higher rate of poverty appeared to have higher rates of uninsured residents.

Leading the way in high poverty and lower healthcare coverage were a handful of Southern states, including Texas, which had a poverty rate of 17.2 percent and which led the nation with an uninsured rate of 24.9 percent.

Massachusetts, with an established statewide health system that aims to provide coverage for all its residents, led all states and the District of Columbia with a 4.6 percent uninsured rate while also holding a relatively low 11.6 percent poverty rate.