For the first time in 12 years, the number of uninsured people in America has gone down.
Officials credit the improvement to the nation's strong economy.
But much of the Midwest, including Greater Cincinnati, did not report improvement, even though the area has enjoyed economic good times. Nationally, the number of uninsured Americans dropped for the first time in 12 years from 44.3 million in 1998 to 42.6 million in 1999. Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana all have lower rates of uninsured people than the U.S. average of 15.5 percent, but the rates went up last year for Ohio and Kentucky. Figures released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau show the ranks of the uninsured declined by 1.7 million from 1998 to 1999, from 44.3 million to 42.6 million. Nationwide, the uninsured rate dropped from 16.3 percent to 15.5 percent from 1998 to 1999, as 35 states reported reductions in their uninsured populations.