Self-Employed Workers Are Less Likely To Have Health Insurance Than Those Employed by Private Firms, Governments

In 2018, health insurance coverage rates and patterns in metropolitan (metro) and nonmetropolitan (nonmetro) areas were similar, according to research by the USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS). That year, 88.9 percent of working-age adults (aged 26–64) in metro counties and 87.5 percent of those in nonmetro counties had health insurance coverage. The source of employment had a greater effect on health insurance coverage than whether a worker lived in a nonmetro or metro county. In 2018, self-employed working-age adults were less likely to have health insurance coverage than those employed by private firms or governments, no matter where they lived (metropolitan or nonmetropolitan area). As a result, they may have found it difficult to access health care, as affordability often is tied to health insurance coverage.

根据美国农业部经济研究局（USDA Economic Research Service, ERS）的研究结果，2018年都会（metropolitan, metro）与非都会（nonmetropolitan, nonmetro）地区的健康保险覆盖率及保障模式较为相似。当年，都会县辖区内88.9%的劳动年龄成年人（26至64岁）拥有健康保险，非都会县辖区内这一比例为87.5%。就业来源对健康保险覆盖率的影响，远大于劳动者居住在都会还是非都会地区的差异。2018年，无论居住在都会还是非都会地区，自主经营的劳动年龄成年人拥有健康保险的概率均低于受雇于私营企业或政府部门的劳动者。因此，这类群体往往难以获取医疗服务，因为医疗服务的可负担性通常与健康保险覆盖情况直接相关。