Dec. 11 (Bloomberg) -- About 42.5 million Americans don't have health insurance, up from about 41 million in 1997, a U.S. government survey released yesterday showed. The group hardest hit was working-age adults, while fewer children lacked coverage.

Of Americans without health benefits, 30.8 million were uninsured for more than a year, according to the survey conducted in the first half of this year by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 53.2 million were uninsured at least part of the 12 months before the survey interview.

The growing number of uninsured in the U.S. may bolster efforts by Democrats in Congress to expand government health-care programs, a key election issue in the lead up to polls next year. President George W. Bush has argued instead for adding tax incentives to encourage individuals to buy their own policies.

Most Americans rely on employer-sponsored health insurance. Still, 22 percent of employed adults younger than 64 years -- when Medicare health benefits become accessible -- were uninsured for at least part of the past year, and 14 percent went without coverage for more than 12 months. Among the jobless, 52 percent were uninsured in the preceding year, and 33 percent for more than a year.

Fewer Kids Uninsured

The bright spot was that both the number and percentage of uninsured kids continued the decline begun in 1997, according to the CDC estimates. About 8.6 percent of children, or 6.4 million kids, were without insurance at the time they were surveyed in the first half of this year, down from 13.9 percent, or 9.9 million, in 1997.

About 12.3 percent of children were uninsured at least part of the past year, compared with 18.1 percent in 1997.

Adults 18 to 64 lost the most ground in health coverage over the years of the survey. Of working-age adults, about 19.2 percent were uninsured, or about 35.8 million. That's an increase from 8.9 percent, or 30.8 million, who said in 1997 they lacked medical coverage.

The CDC estimates were based on 41,823 people who participated in the National Health Interview Survey. The Census Bureau, using different data, estimated the number of uninsured at a record 47 million in 2006, according to figures it released Aug. 28.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By Beth Jinks

© 2007 Bloomberg L.P. All rights reserved.

Presented by InsuranceHeadlines.com